N Macedonia: Ex-minister's sentence over $690K Mercedes cut

SKOPJE, North Macedonia – An appeals court in North Macedonia has reduced the six-year prison term of a former interior minister who was sentenced over the purchase of a bulletproof Mercedes.

The court ruled on Thursday to lower Gordana Jankuloska's prison term to four years. Jankuloska was convicted of abuse of power for influencing Interior Ministry officials to recommend the 600,000 euro ($690,000) purchase of the car for use by the prime minister at the time.

Jankuloska denied wrongdoing.

The former prime minister, Nikola Gruevski, was sentenced to two years in prison in the same case. Gruevski, whose conservative party governed from 2006-2015, fled the country to avoid serving the time and was granted political asylum in Hungary.

North Macedonia is seeking his extradition.