Gjoko Ristov's phone contacts revealed in North Macedonia corruption trial

During a court session in North Macedonia, prosecutors revealed contact lists and messages extracted from the phone of accused former Appeals Court judge Gjoko Ristov. The prosecution highlighted that Ristov’s contacts included several prominent political and business figures, which may be relevant to ongoing corruption investigations.

Among the names mentioned were Bojan Jovanovski (known as Boki 13), BDI deputy Ismail Jahoski and his son Asmir Jahoski, businessman Zoran Azmanov, and former deputy Frosina Remenski. The list also included Ismet Guri, a former official involved in the “Titanic 3” case, and a number identified by the prosecution as belonging to Vice Zaev, brother of former Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.

Prosecutors noted that Ristov had communicated with individuals involved in active legal cases against them. Specifically, messages showed Ristov inquiring about a case involving judge Enver Bexheti, who was recently placed on a U.S. blacklist for corruption. While the prosecution did not present specific evidence of illegal communication, they stated these contacts should be examined regarding legal and ethical standards.