SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) — A Macedonian court has ruled that the country’s main opposition leader is guilty of slandering the prime minister and ordered him to pay EUR50,000 ($65,700) in compensation.

Wednesday’s decision found that Social-Democrat leader Zoran Zaev “untruly stated” that Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski allegedly took a bribe from a Serbian businessman in 2004 to facilitate the man’s purchase of a Macedonian bank.

Gruevski denied that and filed a private lawsuit against Zaev.

Zaev made the allegation in April during campaigning before the country’s parliamentary election, which Gruevski’s party won. Zaev’s lawyer, Filip Medarski, said he would appeal the court decision.

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