Skopje, 3 April 2025 (MIA) – Former Interior Ministry's official Gjoko Popovski has been partially pardoned by decision of President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, published in the Official Gazette on April 2. Under the decision, Popovski is partially released from further serving the remaining part of his prison sentence for the cases dubbed "300" and "Tank", opened by the former Special Public Prosecutor’s Office (SPO).

In the case concerning procurement of 300 vehicles for the needs of the Ministry of Interior, Popovski was sentenced in May 2018 in the first instance to nine years in prison, but the Appellate Court cancelled the first-instance verdict in December 2018 and ordered retrial. In October 2019, Popovski was given a nine-year prison sentence again, which the Appellate Court reduced to five years.

Popovski was accused by the former SPO of purchasing 300 vehicles for the Interior Ministry in the 2008-2012 period while not observing the legal regulations for public procurement and causing damage to the budget estimated at EUR 453,570.

In the case dubbed "Tank", concerning illegal procurement of a luxurious Mercedes, Popovski was sentenced to 4,5 years in prison, while former prime minister Nikola Gruevski was sentenced to two years in prison. 

Popovski requested a combined sentence and mitigation for the two cases, and received a joint prison sentence of eight years and two months, which the Appellate Court later reduced to seven years in prison.

Eight people have been pardoned under Siljanovska Davkova's decision, including four who have been fully pardoned and another four who have been partially pardoned.

Photo: MIA archive