Hungary has granted asylum to former Macedonian premier Nikola Gruevski who fled to Budapest after being sentenced to jail for abuse of power, a newspaper close to Viktor Orban's government said Tuesday.
Gruevski, who is close to Orban, had said he had received death threats in Macedonia. Skopje had issued an international warrant for his arrest after he failed to show up for his two-year jail term.
"The Immigration and Asylum Office found that Gruevski meets the legal conditions for recognition as a refugee," the daily Magyar Idok said.
"The body considers Gruevski's fears that his life would be in danger in his homeland to be plausible."
Neither the government nor the Immigration Authority have responded to requests by AFP for confirmation.
Last Tuesday, the 48-year-old Gruevski who was prime minister of the Balkan country between 2006 and 2016, announced via Facebook that he had fled to the Hungarian capital.
"I am now in Budapest, where I have requested political asylum from the Hungarian authorities," he wrote.
Calling on Budapest not to grant his request, Macedonian premier Zoran Zaev had urged Hungary to "respect international practice, international law" and not provide "a refuge shelter for criminals".
But Budapest had said Gruevski's long tenure as premier justified "special treatment".
"The Immigration Authority concluded that if Gruevski returned home, his political past and stance, as well as accusations made against him by the new government, could make him subject to official persecution," the daily Magyar Idok said.
Budapest has denied that it helped Gruevski escape from Macedonia although police in both Albania and Montenegro say Hungarian diplomats helped drive him to Serbia on his way to Hungary.
Gruevski's diplomatic and personal passports had been seized by the Macedonian authorities. Gruevski reached Hungary using his personal identity document only and was given a one-time entry document by the Hungarian authorities, said Magyar Idok.
Both Gruevski and Orban have accused US liberal billionaire George Soros of stoking illegal immigration, claims that Soros denies.
Orban's ruling party Fidesz has said that Gruevski was "persecuted and threatened by a left-wing government, which clearly has the support of George Soros".
Hungary has granted asylum to former Macedonian premier Nikola Gruevski who fled to Budapest after being sentenced to jail for abuse of power, a newspaper close to Viktor Orban’s government said Tuesday.
Gruevski, who is close to Orban, had said he had received death threats in Macedonia. Skopje had issued an international warrant for his arrest after he failed to show up for his two-year jail term.
“The Immigration and Asylum Office found that Gruevski meets the legal conditions for recognition as a refugee,” the daily Magyar Idok said.
“The body considers Gruevski’s fears that his life would be in danger in his homeland to be plausible.”
Neither the government nor the Immigration Authority have responded to requests by AFP for confirmation.
Last Tuesday, the 48-year-old Gruevski who was prime minister of the Balkan country between 2006 and 2016, announced via Facebook that he had fled to the Hungarian capital.
“I am now in Budapest, where I have requested political asylum from the Hungarian authorities,” he wrote.
Calling on Budapest not to grant his request, Macedonian premier Zoran Zaev had urged Hungary to “respect international practice, international law” and not provide “a refuge shelter for criminals”.
But Budapest had said Gruevski’s long tenure as premier justified “special treatment”.
“The Immigration Authority concluded that if Gruevski returned home, his political past and stance, as well as accusations made against him by the new government, could make him subject to official persecution,” the daily Magyar Idok said.
Budapest has denied that it helped Gruevski escape from Macedonia although police in both Albania and Montenegro say Hungarian diplomats helped drive him to Serbia on his way to Hungary.
Gruevski’s diplomatic and personal passports had been seized by the Macedonian authorities. Gruevski reached Hungary using his personal identity document only and was given a one-time entry document by the Hungarian authorities, said Magyar Idok.
Both Gruevski and Orban have accused US liberal billionaire George Soros of stoking illegal immigration, claims that Soros denies.
Orban’s ruling party Fidesz has said that Gruevski was “persecuted and threatened by a left-wing government, which clearly has the support of George Soros”.
