On November the 12th, Ljudmil Kljusev was arrested in the US on charges for “illegally distributing narcotics” and also happens to be the son of the first Prime Minister of an independent Macedonia, Nikola Kljusev. The psychiatrist Kljusev was waiting for his court hearing which would determine whether he would remain in custody or be released on bail, apart from his legal troubles, he recently stated that “he has no desire to work with medicine anymore” and “wants to return to Macedonia and run for Prime Minister. ” He now remains in custody because the court considered him a flight risk, believing he would skip bail, and escape.
The Kljusev family have and still have close relatives and friendly ties with the other so-called “Stip lineage” – Mijalkov and Gruevski. For example, Kljusev and the former Interior Minister in his government, Jordan Mijalkov apart from politically, were close through the godfather connection.
The sanctity of the godfather and the different viscosity that blood is thicker than water is the base of the Macedonian ruling elite, since independence of the country until today.
In 1991, the first Prime Minister of an independent Macedonia, Nikola Kljusev the head of one of the most important, if not the most important ministries in those turbulent times, and he appointed Jordan Mijalkov, who had been a representative of one of the biggest Macedonian companies in Prague the Czech Republic. Little is known, but for the people of Stip, where Kljusev and Mijalkov were both born, it is common knowledge that the two are related. Specifically, Nikola Kljusev is Jordan Mijalkov’s godfather, which probably played an important part when Kljusev chose his first Interior Minister.
The appointment of Jordan Mijalkov made way for the roots to grow, and after 15 years, the current ruling line-up emerged, whose connections are their family ties.
Jordan Mijalkov, father to Saso and Vlatko Mijalkov and brother to Nadezda, is the mother of the current Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
After coming to power in 2006, Nikola Gruevski set up his first cousin Saso Mijalkov as Head of the Security and Counter-intelligence agency (SCI), and his other cousin Vlatko Mijalkov he installed in the Customs Administration with an important and influential position.
In another connection, this time Gruevski in 2007 strengthened its cooperation with the Deputy Prime Minister when Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, became his best man.
This practice proves useful in relations in politics, business and the judiciary. As “Nova Makedonija” wrote back in 2009, the former secret police chief Saso Mijalkov is godfather of the well known Macedonian businessman Orce Kamcev.
Saso Mijalkov is also best man to the Chief Operating Officer of Macedonian Telecom, Zarko Lukovski, who last year married his wife Ivana.
In another twist, the President of Parliament Trajko Veljanovski has a godfather connection with the former Head of the Supreme Court, Jovo Vangelovski, and it is a well know fact that they are relatives, which the opposition from time to time like to point out. And finally Saso Mijalkov and the Head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Corruption Jovo Ilievski, happen to be in-laws.
