Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has confirmed that former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski is in Budapest and that the authorities there are handling his asylum application in accordance with domestic and international law.
“Nikola Gruevski has applied for asylum to the relevant Hungarian authorities. The former Macedonian prime minister has announced his intention to claim refugee status in Hungary,” said the Hungarian prime minister’s office, reports Deutsche Welle.
As to the reason why Gruevski did not end up in a transit center, which is in accordance with Hungarian law, but in Budapest, Orbán’s office claims that security was the reason.
“Given that he was prime minister for more than 10 years and for security reasons, Hungarian authorities allowed Gruevski to claim asylum and be heard at the Immigration and Asylum Office headquarters in Budapest.”
Orbán’s office say that Macedonia is a strategic partner and an important ally to Hungary.