Skopje, 4 January 2024 (MIA) - The Skopje-based Criminal Court, upon proposal of the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office, has extended for another 30 days the detention of the five suspects in the murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski. 

Parties have the right to appeal the decision before the Skopje-based Appellate Court.

Ljupcho Palevski, the prime suspect in the murder of Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, was arrested in Turkey on December 6 upon an international warrant. On December 29, 2023, the Belikesir Prosecutor's Office in Turkey issued a 40-day prison order for Palevski. 

The Belikesir Prosecutor's Office said at the time that the prison term has been ordered to ensure the person's extradition to North Macedonia, in line with the European Convention on Extradition.

The Justice Ministry recently said that Palevski's extradition would take several months.

Gjorchevska, 14, was found dead near Skopje on December 3 after she was reported missing on November 27, and Zhezhovski, 74, was found dead near Veles on December 3 after he was reported missing on November 24.

Palevski, founder of political party Desna, has been charged with abduction and murder, party members Velibor Manev, Vlatko Keshishov and Bore Videvski have been charged with abduction and accessory to murder, whereas Vanja's father Aleksandar Gjorchevski, who is suspected of sharing information with them over his daughter's morning routine, has been charged with accessory to abduction. In addition, Stefan Dimkovski, the person who drove Palevski from Serbia to Turkey, is also a suspect in the case.

Photo: MIA archive