Map: Gruevski's 'Great Escape' Through the Balkans

Data from the Macedonian, Albanian and Montenegrin police now paint a relatively accurate picture of former prime minister Nikola Gruevski's escape route through the Balkans to Hungary to avoid serving a two-year prison sentence.

His exact escape from Macedonia is still shrouded in mystery. The time of his departure from Macedonian capital, Skopje, and where and when he crossed Macedonia's western border with Albania are still being probed.

Albanian police on Thursday said they had no record in the Albanian border system of Gruevski using the two legal border crossings, at Kjafasan/Qafe Thana, and Stenje, raising speculation that he entered Albania illegally.

From then on, his route through Albania, Montenegro and Serbia resembles a spy movie, with diplomatic logistics and frequent swapping of cars.

Unnamed sources, cited by Deutsche Welle on Thursday, said Gruevski arrived in the Albanian capital, Tirana, on Sunday, and most probably stayed at Hungarian embassy, where he first informed the Hungarian authorities of his intent to seek asylum.

This was partly confirmed by the chef-de-cabinet of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, who on Thursday said Gruevski first made his intention clear at a Hungarian embassy - although not specifying which one.

Albanian police have confirmed that Gruevski left the country at the Hani I Hotit/Bozaj border crossing with Montenegro at 7.11pm on Sunday evening.

The same police announcement said Gruevski travelled as a passenger in a car owned by the Hungarian embassy in Albania.

The Albanian police added that Gruevski used his personal ID, as his passport was confiscated last year by the Macedonian authorities.

They added that, at the time of passage,...