Skopje urges Turkey's extradition of Lupco Palevski, 14-year-old suspect

Northern Macedonia has on Thursday requested the extradition of Lupco Palevski, suspects in the 14-year-old Vanja Gjercevska, and 74-year-old Panco Zezovski.

Justice Minister to Northern Macedonia Crenar Lloga said Thursday that institutions have already submitted the request for the suspect's extradition to the killings in Skopje and Veles on November 27th 2023, and that he has also spoken over the matter with his Turkish counterpart in order to speed up the procedure for handing over the suspected author.

I believe that in a relatively short time we will get a positive answer, and the suspect will be among us to respond to what happened. I cannot say how long the extradition procedure will last at this moment, without knowing the procedures in Turkey”, Lloga has declared.

If extradited, Palevski will be sent into custody for 30 days, a move he has been appointed in absentia by the Constitutional Court in Skopje.

The suspect in the double murder, Lupco Palevski, on 5 December, was arrested by Turkish police in the town of Balicsiri.

Three other people, currently in custody, are suspected of the killings, while investigations are continuing for the 14-year-old father.

The 14-year-old lifeless body has been found Sunday in Skopje, while that 74-year-old one has been found in Veles.

Vanja Gjerchevska had disappeared on November 27th, after leaving home for school.

Macedonian tracking organs have indicated that the motive for the murder was the material benefit of the murdered daughter's mother.

According to the police, the other victim from Veles was not related to the girl, but he had unaccomplished accounts with another member of the suspected criminal group, and after his execution, the suspects of this work have taken his vehicle, which they later kidnapped 14-year-old in Skopje, which they killed. /Rel