Orce Kamcev

Nikola Gruevski, who was tried in absentia, was found guilty at Skopje Criminal Court on Thursday of unlawfully acquiring over 1.3 million euros from his former ruling VMRO DPMNE party, and of instigating a money-laundering scheme to cover his tracks and buy property with the proceeds.

North Macedonia's Organised Crime Prosecution on Wednesday filed charges against the country's fugitive former prime minister, Nikola Gruevski, and some of his former close associates, in a high-profile case linked to the illicit purchase of building sites.

North Macedonian law enforcement has placed the businessman Orce Kamcev in 30 days' detention in Shutka prison near Skopje, on the request of the Organised Crime Prosecution, which said there was a risk he might flee the country.

The prosecution on Sunday said it requested his detention after receiving "info from the National Security Agency that he might be preparing an escape".

In the ongoing court case that has gripped North Macedonia, codenamed Extortion, Prosecutor Ivana Trajceva on Tuesday presented messages that the main suspect, the showman-turned-businessman Bojan Jovanovski, sent to the Prime Minister, among other people, found in his seized electronic devices.

North Macedonia's State Prosecution on Thursday laid charges against the country's former head special prosecutor on two grounds, for "taking a reward for illegal influence" and for "misuse in office".

North Macedonia's State Prosecution is launching a new investigation linked to the "Extortion" case that has rocked the government and implicated a senior prosecutor. The new probe encompasses four new suspects including an unnamed politician.

The 'Extortion' scandal has rocked the government of Social Democrat Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and undermined the credibility of the country's anti-corruption drive.

It erupted in July when businessman Bojan Jovanovski and alleged accomplice Zoran Milevski were arrested on suspicion of extorting money from another businessman, Orce Kamcev.

The parliamentary commission in North Macedonia on appointments and dismissals at Thursday's closed session unanimously supported the dismissal of the suspended chief of the Special Prosecution, Katica Janeva, who has been detained in relation to the "Extortion" scandal. All 13 MP members of the commission voted for her dismissal.

Police in North Macedonia arrested outgoing chief special prosecutor Katica Janeva on Wednesday, the latest twist in a scandal rocking the government and undermining the credibility of the country's anti-corruption drive.

Organised crime prosecutors in North Macedonia grilled the outgoing chief special prosecutor Katica Janeva for four hours on Tuesday over her alleged involvement in the so-called 'Extortion' affair that has rocked the country for weeks.