Former Macedonian prime minister stripped of immunity from prosecution

21/08/2007

Monday's decision by parliament clears the way for Vlado Buckovski's possible arrest in connection with an arms procurement scandal.

(Utrinski vesnik - 21/08/07; MIA, Makfax, AP, Xinhua - 20/08/07; Makfax, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network - 17/08/07; Balkan Investigative Reporting Network - 03/08/07)

The charges against former Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski stem from his earlier tenure as defence minister. [Getty Images]

Lawmakers from Macedonia's ruling parties voted on Monday (August 20th) to strip former Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski of his immunity from prosecution. He could now potentially be detained on charges of involvement in an arms procurement deal that cost the country 3m euros.

Out of the 120 MPs, 59 voted to lift Buckovski's immunity. There was one formal abstention. Opposition parties boycotted the vote.

A parliamentary committee originally lifted Buckovski's immunity on August 2nd, but the main opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) charged that the decision violated rules of procedure. The SDSM demanded a full session of parliament to address the matter.

Debate began on Thursday, and was marred by the continual trading of accusations and insults between SDSM deputies and those from the rulingVMRO-DPMNE of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

Buckovski, now an SDSM deputy, says he is the victim of a political witchhunt, and has denied the charges against him.

"I do not ask for mercy, because you are not the jury," he said, addressing lawmakers ahead of Monday's vote. "I am innocent."

The arms procurement case dates back to 2001, when Buckovski was serving as defence minister. The Macedonian Army's former chief of staff, retired General Metodi Stamboliski, allegedly ordered four times more spare parts for the army's T-55 tanks than were actually needed. He was arrested earlier in August and released on bail several days ago.

Another key suspect in the case is Mitre Petkovski, the manager of Macedonian metal company MZT FOP, which was asked to supply the spare parts.

Buckovski, Stamboliski and Petkovski have been charged with "generating substantial material gain for themselves by damaging the state budget".

Two other defence ministry officials have also been indicted. Buckovski says his role in the controversial arms case was already investigated in 2002, when all charges against him were dropped.

Describing the case as a "political montage", Buckovski told lawmakers Monday that the current government is waging "a selective fight against organised crime and corruption".

The SDSM has demanded that the case be placed under the monitoring of international organisations, including the OSCE.