The American State Department introduced sanctions against the former Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Macedonia, Artan Grubi and the Judge of the Court of Appeals, Enver Bejeti, due to their involvement in corruption.

According to the statement, Grubi and Bejeti accepted bribes in order to undermine the court proceedings related to the criminal conviction of Sasho Mijalkov, former director of the Security and Counterintelligence Administration (UBK).

- In the case of Artan Grubi, the maxim said by former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who said: I don't know what is worse, to be a friend or an enemy of America, fits perfectly. Grubi was objectively the friendliest politician in Macedonia towards US policy, and now he ended up on their black list. It should be noted that this State Department action has no legal significance in our justice system, but that does not mean that an investigation should not be conducted. The inspection of the Judicial Council established that the judge from the Court of Appeal, Enver Bejeti, deliberately kept the "target-fortress" case in a drawer, in which Sasho Mijalkov was the first defendant. Bejetti was fined 20 percent of his salary over a period of six months, which is a ridiculous sanction. The Americans are now alluding that Grubi was behind it and that is why they are imposing sanctions on him and members of his immediate family. It is certain that in the future Grubi will not have a place in the management of DUI, but I think it is necessary to investigate the accusations in order to determine whether he is guilty or not - says the journalist of Sloboden Pechat, Srdjan Ivanovic.