Skopje, 4 September 2024 (MIA) – The trial over last year's murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski has been postponed to September 20, after the Skopje-based Criminal Court decided on Wednesday to consolidate the proceedings for the defendants in the case.  

The Skopje Public Prosecutor’s Office previously filed an indictment against four people in connection with the double murder case, followed by an indictment against the prime suspect Ljupcho Palevski, after he was extradited from Turkey, for double kidnapping and ruthless murder. 

The Criminal Court approved the indictments and, at the request of the Prosecution, decided to merge the trials of all defendants, including Palevski, Bore Videvski, Velibor Manev and Vlatko Keshishov, as well as Vanja's father Aleksandar Gjorchevski.

Another person, indicted for aiding and abetting, will be tried in separate proceedings.

Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, who were reported missing in late November, were found dead near Skopje and Veles on December 3, 2023.

Defendant Ljupcho Palevski was not present at Wednesday's hearing because, according to judge Ivica Stefanovski, the Court's Council was not able to ensure Palevski's presence due to the fact that the indictment has been assessed immediately before today's hearing and legal conditions for him to be called at the hearing have not been met.