The former prime minister of North Macedonia Nikola Gruevski was handed on Thursday a 7-year prison sentence in connection to the so-called ‘Parcels in Vodno’ case, initiated by the former Special Prosecution.

He was convicted on money laundering charges after using donor money to buy real estate for himself, but registering them on other people.

Euronews Albania correspondent in Skopje Ferikan Iljazi said that this is third prison sentence handed to Gruevski, however it is unclear if the former prime minister will do any jail time after fleeing to Hungary in 2018.

“This is the third prison sentence handed to Gruevski. The former prime minister fled to Hungary and it remains unknown whether he will serve any jail time. He’s been commenting his trials on social media. According to Gruevski, his allies were coerced to make the statements”, said the reporter.

Iljazi said that Gruevski’s close associates admitted the money laundering charges. According to them, the money was used by the then-prime minister to purchase real estate in North Macedonia.