The Interior Ministry confirmed that it is investigating the disappearance of Samoil K., a 26 year old man from Skopje who was last seen on Saturday. According to media reports, Samoil was kidnapped in the area of Kozle, near the Czech Embassy. The man is reported to be nephew of former Interior Minister Ljube Boskoski – the son of Boskoski’s brother in law. Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski confirmed that the police is conducting operations to find the man.

Boskoski was Interior Minister during the 2001 war against Albanian guerillas. He was charged with war crimes against Albanian civilians by the Hague tribunal, as well as with an incident when the police a group of seven Pakistanis who were suspected to be Islamists – only to be determined that they were migrants instead. He fled the country due to strong pressure from the US to have him arrested, but was eventually detained in Croatia and extradited to the Hague, where he was acquitted.

Following his return, Boskoski joined the SDSM led coalition to bring down the VMRO-DPMNE Government, and was arrested again, for taking money for his election campaign from a businessman to whom he promised that he will help Greece obtain a favorable solution in the name dispute with Macedonia. After SDSM grabbed power in 2017, Boskoski was rewarded with a minor position in the Government.