EU Commissioner Urges Hungary To Explain Granting Asylum To Macedonian Ex-Prime Minister

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2018) European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn on Wednesday called on Hungary to explain its decision to grant asylum to former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

Gruevski, who was sentenced to two years in prison in Macedonia and fled the country, said on Tuesday that he had been granted political asylum in Hungary.

"I take note of reports about #Hungary's decision to grant political asylum to @GruevskiNikola. If confirmed, I expect a sound explanation of its grounds by @Viktor_Orban ... The #RuleofLaw remains a fundamental principle for Member States and accession candidates alike. It is crucial for #Europe's credibility. Surprising that #Hungary supports #EU membership but does not consider it safe," Hahn wrote on Twitter.

In May, Gruevski, who served as Macedonian prime minister from 2006 until 2016 and is also the former head of the largest opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, was convicted of official misconduct by purchasing a luxury vehicle at an estimated cost of over 500,000 Euros ($569,700). Gruevski had to start serving his prison term immediately after Macedonia's Criminal Court rejected appeals to postpone his two-year jail sentence. However, Gruevski fled the country and his whereabouts have been unknown since November 8.

Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia were granted an official EU candidate status. Each country must negotiate the terms of accession with the current member states and align their domestic legislation with EU law before joining.