Skopje, 7 December 2023 (MIA) - The Ministry of Justice has sent the request for the extradition of Ljupcho Palevski and the documents will be delivered to the Turkish authorities through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Justice said an original document has been sent via DHL to the Turkish counterpart institution, and a scan of the document to Interpol as well.

We expect full cooperation with the Turkish judicial authorities and timely processing, the Ministry said in a press release.

The extradition request comes after Palevski, the prime suspect in the murders of Vanja Gjorchevska, 14, and Panche Zhezhovski, 74, was arrested in Turkey on Tuesday, a day after the issuance of an international arrest warrant.

Gjorchevska was found dead near Skopje on December 3 after she was reported missing on November 27, and Zhezhovski 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.