JUSTICE PM Zaev expects authorities to find ex-secret police chief

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Monday that he is disappointed that Sasho Mijalkov has not been found yet and has not been placed under court-ordered house arrest.

He expected the authorities to do everything in their power to locate Mijalkov and place him under house arrest. He hoped all competent institutions to provide him with information regarding the case, adding that institutions will be held accountable for any omission.

“I expect the court, prosecution and Interior Ministry to provide me with the information regarding the case. The people expect the case to be fully resolved and institutions to bear responsibility if Mijalkov is not placed under court-ordered house arrest, who is expected to be sentenced in ‘Target-Fortress’ case trial,” Zaev told reporters on Monday after testifying at the Skopje-based Criminal Court in the ‘Titanic’ case trial.

He denied any political agreement reached with Mijalkov, because he is currently on trial accused of illegal wiretapping with the verdict expected to be handed down soon.

As of Sunday afternoon, ex-secret police chief Sasho Mijalkov has not been available to law enforcement officials and the police failed to find him and give the house arrest order, which was submitted to the Skopje Criminal Court by the prosecution.

The Ministry of Interior has issued nationwide arrest warrant for ex-secret police chief Sasho Mijalkov and will also seek the international arrest warrant to be issued.

“The Criminal Court has ordered house arrest for Sasho Mijalkov due to the danger of escape pending the trial verdict in the ‘Target-Fortress’ case on Feb. 26, in which he is one of the defendants. A nationwide arrest warrant has been issued. As the person has not been found based on the measures and activities taken so far, we will ask the court to issue an international arrest warrant,” Interior Ministry said Monday in a press release.