Macedonia's Gruevski rejects presidential impeachment

05/08/2008

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski on Monday (August 4th) rejected the option of impeaching President Branko Crvenkovski, but criticised him for pardoning Strumica Mayor and opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia Vice-President Zoran Zaev, who faced charges of abusing his power in a tender for a local shopping mall. Gruevski said he does not accept Crvenkovski's explanation that he was trying only to encourage boycotting opposition parties to return to parliament. Gruevski described Zaev's pardon as a blow to the fight against crime and corruption and as the first pardon in Europe of someone accused of a financial crime. (Dnevnik, Vecer - 05/08/08; Makfax - 04/08/08)