Skopje, 7 November 2023 (MIA) — At a press conference in front of the Ministry of Justice earlier on Tuesday, the "European Alliance for Change" Albanian opposition bloc claimed that the changes to the Criminal Code had been made to benefit fugitive former prime minister Nikola Gruevski.

Their press conference followed after Gruevski's charges were dropped in the 'Trajectory' case regarding the Kichevo-Ohrid highway construction, and after the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office for Gruevski's charges to be dropped in the 'TNT' case.

"We continue to witness the SDSM and DUI-led government's game 'to save' Gruevski," the Albanian opposition bloc representatives said.

"A few days ago, ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski was acquitted in the 'Trajectory' case for the construction of the Kichevo-Ohrid highway, which damaged the national budget by a total of 155 million euros. Now, in line with the latest Criminal Code changes, the Public Prosecutor's Office has requested that Nikola Gruevski be acquitted of his charges in the 'TNT' case, which damaged the state budget by 11 million euros."

"You don't have to be an analyst or a politician to understand that the changes to the Criminal Code were made solely to benefit Gruevski, Mijalkov, Jankulovska and others like them," the "European Alliance for Change" told reporters.

"They try to justify themselves by European integration, yet citizens get nothing but amnesty for criminals," they said.

"How many years of prison did Ahmeti spare Gruevski by changing the Criminal Code? How much public money has been misused through these crimes Gruevski was acquitted from?", the Albanian opposition bloc representatives asked. mr/