Zaev government rejects a key request to Gruevski

Macedonia's interior ministry has rejected former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's request, currently the leader of the largest opposition party, to increase his security due to an uncontested threat to him.

Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski said that currently 6 personal guards defend Mr. Gruevski and his family, and that is enough.

Spasovski said last night that Gruevski's bodyguards have currently not reported any threats to him or his family.

Mr Gruevski's ERO-DPMNE party has demanded at least 20 additional bodyguards, “since it has been estimated there is a high level of threat to his life and personal integrity”, the AP agency from Skopje reports.

Macedonia's former prime ministers have the right to security made up of six bodyguards as long as they were in the office.

Gruevski was prime minister from August 2006 until January last year.