Former Macedonian Officials Sanctioned by US for Corruption

Artan Grubi, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Inter-Community Relations in North Macedonia, along with Appeals Court Judge Enver Bexheti, has been added to the US State Department's "blacklist" due to significant corruption. The sanctions, which also affect their families, include a ban on entering the United States. According to the US State Department, both individuals were implicated in accepting bribes to influence the judicial process, particularly in cases related to Saso Mijalkov, the former director of the Security and Counterintelligence Service under the government of Nikola Gruevski, who himself is also on the US blacklist for corruption.

US Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, emphasized that these sanctions serve as proof that political interference in the judicial system will not be tolerated. The decision to blacklist Grubi and Bexheti is part of ongoing efforts to curb corruption and protect the integrity of the judicial process in the region.

Artan Grubi responded to the US sanctions on his Facebook page, stating that he first learned about the decision from local media. He reaffirmed his commitment to democratic principles and pledged to fully clarify the situation, emphasizing that transparency and democratic values will continue to guide his actions.

This addition to the blacklist follows the inclusion of another former deputy prime minister, Kocho Angjushev, in the US sanctions list at the end of last year. Angushev and his family are also barred from entering the United States.

The US sanctions list includes several other prominent figures from North Macedonia, including former Chief Prosecutor Katica Janeva, Stevco Jakimovski, the current mayor of Karposh in Skopje, and Ramiz Merko, the mayor of Struga. Russian businessman Sergey Samsonenko and his wife Irina are also among those sanctioned, as well as the former Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Nikola Gruevski, who currently resides in Budapest.