Skopje, 6 December 2023 (MIA) - Basic Public Prosecutor's Office Skopje has prepared the extradition request for Ljupcho Palevski, the prime suspect in the murders of Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, from the Republic of Turkey.

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice said it has sent a request to the competent Turkish authorities that Ljupcho Palevski, the prime suspect in the murders of Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, be kept in detention until extradition proceedings are completed. The Ministry notes that it expects Turkey to immediately act on its request.

Palevski is accused of two criminal offenses – abduction under Article 141 of the Criminal Code, as well as two brutal murders (one involving a minor and one for financial gain), both punishable under Article 123, paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code.

“The Public Prosecutor has formally requested the extradition of the person for whom an international arrest warrant has been issued from the relevant authorities in the Republic of Turkey. According to Interpol, Ankara has confirmed the arrest of the person on December 5, 2023, in the Republic of Turkey. As an attachment to the extradition request to Turkish authorities, the complete necessary documentation will be submitted, including the order for the investigative procedure against the suspect, the decision appointing an official defense counsel and detention order issued by the Basic Criminal Court Skopje, as well as the order for issuing an international arrest warrant. The Turkish authorities will also be informed about the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code, specifying the legal title and characteristics of the criminal offense under investigation, as well as other regulations in Macedonian legislation,” Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release.

The International Legal Assistance Department of the Public Prosecutor's Office of North Macedonia, as stated in the press release, promptly forwarded this extradition request to the Ministry of Justice. This action is in accordance with the European Convention on Extradition and additional protocols, the Agreement on Legal Cooperation in Civil and Criminal Matters between North Macedonia and Turkey, and the Law on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters.

"The Ministry of Justice received an official notification from Interpol at 9:20 am today, according to which Ljupcho Palevski, wanted by international warrant, has been arrested in Turkey. The Ministry of Justice has started the extradition proceedings and is collecting all the documents from the institutions required for the extradition. The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Basic Prosecutor's Office in Skopje have been contacted in order to properly complete the files so that the Ministry of Justice could further act. Coordination is underway with all relevant institutions so as to act immediately and earlier than the time limit of 40 days for presentation of the formal extradition request," the Ministry of Justice said in a press release.

According to the Justice Ministry, the extradition proceedings require that all documents are received, extradition request is prepared, with all documents translated in Turkish, and sent via DHL (previously electronically through Interpol).

Ljupcho Palevski-Palcho, the prime suspect in the murder of Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, was arrested in Turkey on Tuesday, and the Skopje-based Criminal Court ordered the remaining four suspects to spend another 30 days in detention as requested by the Public Prosecutor's Office which opened an investigation into two brutal murders. This is the latest information that the authorities gave late Tuesday on the murders of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska, who was found dead near Skopje on December 3 after she was reported missing on November 27, and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski who was found dead near Veles on December 3 after he was reported missing on November 24.

The Public Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday that an investigation is launched against five people, of whom one is charged with abduction and murder, three are charged with abduction and accessory to murder, whereas one for accessory to abduction.

Photo: MIA archive