Police officers raided the home of former First Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi this morning. Grubi, who was recently put on a US State Department black list, was not at home and suspicions are raising that he fled the country.

According to the initial reports, Grubi is being investigated over corruption and abuses with the State Lottery, that was under his management for several years. The police also raided the home of Grubi’s top assistant Prparim Bajrami, who is also in hiding, and has reportedly fled to Kosovo months ago. Republika has learnt that 50,000 EUR were found in cash in Bajrami’s home.

Our sources also inform that former Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski is among the suspects in the State Lottery case. The company is managed under strong influence of the Government, which opens room for serious corruption.

Grubi was put on the US black list, which bans him from entering the United States, over strong suspicions of corruption and influencing the judiciary.