North Macedonia Red-Faced as ‘Vanished’ Ex-Secret Police Chief Reappears

After North Macedonia's government was savaged over the reported disapearance of the notorious ex-secret police chief Saso Mijalkov - days ahead of the verdict in his latest trial - Mijalkov's casual reappearance on Tuesday has added insult to injury.

While the government insists it played a key role in forcing Mijalkov to surrender and so foiled his escape plans, many are not buying in to the story, accusing the government of presiding over a farce.

The ruckus started on Sunday when police failed to locate Mijalkov and place him in house detention on court orders ahead of the verdict against him in a case in which he is accused of masterminding a massive illegal wiretapping operation. The verdict is set for Friday.

After two days of fruitless searches and refusals by government officials to accept responsibility for the blunder, Mijalkov surprisingly reappeared on Tuesday evening in front of the Organised Crime Prosecution in Skopje, saying he was there to receive the order for his house detention personally.

Walking casually and with no visible police or security escort, he said he had not been hiding or trying to flee the country. He instead gave a reporter from the local TV 24 station who was present a whimsical explanation for his absence.

He said that while the entire state apparatus had been searching for him for two days, and while his family and bodyguards were being questioned for hours about his whereabouts, he had decided to isolate himself due to a high temperature and a suspicion that he had caught COVID-19.

He offered a "sincere apology" for the fuss he had caused the police, the government and the country in general, insisting that he was not the kind of person to escape and run away from problems.