# North Macedonia State Lottery corruption case > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/north-macedonia-state-lottery-corruption-case > Updated: 2026-09-18T06:20:17.000Z. Sources: 25. Developments: 2. Perparim Bajrami, the former director of the State Lottery of North Macedonia, surrendered at the Blace border crossing on September 9, 2026, after being a fugitive for approximately 21 months. Bajrami had been the subject of an international arrest warrant issued in December 2024. Bajrami is the primary accused in a corruption case involving the State Lottery, alongside former First Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi, former Government Secretary General Metodija Dimovski, and five former members of the company’s supervisory board. The prosecution alleges that between 2023 and 2024, the defendants abused their official positions regarding the procurement of video lottery terminals and the unauthorized independent organization of electronic gambling games. These actions reportedly caused damages to the State Lottery estimated at approximately 596 million denars. The corruption trial officially commenced at the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje on September 18, 2026. During the initial proceedings, Bajrami and most other defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court has scheduled the evidentiary phase to begin on September 23, which will involve the prosecution reading and explaining material evidence. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-18: Perparim Bajrami pleads not guilty in State Lottery corruption trial Former State Lottery director Perparim Bajrami pleaded not guilty in a Skopje court regarding a corruption case involving alleged damages of over 596 million denars. 14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/state-lottery-corruption-trial-begins-in-skopje ### 2026-09-09: Perparim Bajrami surrenders after 21-month flight in State Lottery case Former North Macedonia State Lottery director Perparim Bajrami surrendered at the Blace border after a 21-month flight. He faces charges of abuse of office related to gambling terminal procurement. 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/perparim-bajrami-former-state-lottery-director-surrenders --- Cite as: North Macedonia State Lottery corruption case. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/north-macedonia-state-lottery-corruption-case