North Macedonia’s judicial authorities have initiated criminal proceedings against former Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi for alleged misappropriation of over 8 million euros related to state lottery supplies. Grubi, currently out of the country, claims to be in Kosovo for personal reasons. The investigation also targets former Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski for potential involvement in the same case. The U.S. State Department recently placed Grubi on a blacklist due to his corruption-related activities, highlighting ongoing concerns about corruption in the country.