being arrested on charges of involvement in an arms procurement deal costing the country 2.5 million euros (3.18 million U.S. dollars). Prosecution said he had allegedly benefited from conspiring in 2001 with former Macedonian army chief of staff, General Metodi Stamboliski in buying and selling off spare parts for the army's Russian-made T-55 tanks. Stamboliski was arrested in late July 2007, charged with embezzling 1.8 million Euros (about US $2.5 million) and released on bail. Conviction On December 9, 2008 Bučkovski was found guilty of illegally purchasing excessive quantities of tank parts during the armed conflict in 2001 by Judge Vangelica and sentenced to three and a half years in jail. Former army chief of staff Metodi Stamboliski was jailed for three and a half years, and two defense ministry officials and the manager of a state-owned metal company Aco Gjurcevski, Nelko Menkinovski and Mitre Petkovski were sentenced to 3 years. Bučkovski called the verdict "scandalous" and said that he would appeal. He also said "We have proved that we are innocent and sorry that Macedonia and the court didn't use this opportunity to show its independence". References 1962 births Living people Politicians from Skopje Defence ministers of North Macedonia Prime Ministers of North Macedonia Social Democratic Union of Macedonia politicians Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje alumni Macedonian lawyers Heads of government who were later imprisoned