The US State Department has blacklisted the former Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Artan Grubi, and Judge Enver Bexheti, accusing them of major corruption.
According to the State Department announcement, Grubi and Bexheti were involved in a bribery scheme that obstructed judicial processes, helping Sasho Mijalkov, the former director of the Directorate for Security and Counterintelligence, avoid his convictions.
This action comes as part of sanctions that have also affected Grubi's close family members.
"Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State publicly designates Artan Grubi and Enver Bexheti for their involvement in substantial corruption by accepting bribes to undermine judicial processes related to the criminal conviction of Sasho Mijalkov, director of the Administration for Security and Counterintelligence of North Macedonia (UBK).
Mijalkov was designated in 2022 for substantial corruption under section 7031(c), and OFAC sanctioned him under EO 14033. As part of this action, close members of Grub's family have also been designated," the DASH statement said.