Skopje, 11 December 2023 (MIA) - The Ministry of Justice said Monday that Ljupcho Palevski, the prime suspect in the murders of Vanja Gjorchevska and Panche Zhezhovski, has been given 40-day extradition detention in Turkey, where he was arrested last week.

The Embassy of North Macedonia in Ankara has notified the Ministry of Justice that it received a note from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which it informs that based on the communication from the office of the chief public prosecutor in Balikesir, a 40-day extradition detention has been set for Ljupcho Palevski, the Ministry of Justice said in a press release.

Gjorchevska, 14, was found dead near Skopje on December 3 after she was reported missing on November 27, and Zhezhovski, 74, was found dead near Veles on December 3 after he was reported missing on November 24.

Palevski, founder of political party Desna, has been charged with abduction and murder, party members Velibor Manev, Vlatko Keshishov and Bore Videvski have been charged with abduction and accessory to murder, whereas Vanja's father Aleksandar Gjorchevski, who is suspected of sharing information with them over his daughter's morning routine, has been charged with accessory to abduction.

Photo: MIA archive