Alex Salmond's body 'ready to be brought back to Scotland', say officials in North Macedonia

Discussions were continuing between Alba Party officials, the Scottish Government and UK Foreign Office over the best to return the former first minister following his sudden death.

Alex Salmond's body is ready to be flown home back to Scotland, officials in North Macedonia have announced.

The former first minister was visiting the southern European nation last week when he died suddenly from a heart attack aged 69.

The North Macedonian ministry of foreign affairs said the "technical work" of repatriation had been completed and they were now "waiting for information regarding the departure time from the Scottish side".

The former first minister will be honoured with a minute's applause at Hampden Park tonight before Scotland's Nations League match against Portugal.

Salmond had happily mixed with Tartan Army fans in June when Steve Clarke's side headed to Germany for Euro 2024.

Alba Party officials were today continuing discussions with the Scottish Government over how to bring him home to the north-east of Scotland.

The Record understands the RAF will not be involved in repatriating his body as Salmond was a private citizen at the time of his death.

The UK Foreign Office has said it is providing consular support to Salmond’s family and is in contact with local authorities and the Scottish Government.

Chris McEleny, Alba Party general secretary, said today: "I see some people saying, 'well, convention says that only members of the Royal Family are repatriated through the RAF'.

"Conventions are conventions just until they’re not convention. He was a former First Minister of Scotland. We're talking about office here. There’s clearly an outpouring of love in Scotland for Alex and his family, obviously, need to get him home.

"They are under intense scrutiny at the moment through the press, trying to come to their homes so to help them grieve and and accept Alex's loss, we need to get them home as quickly as possible.

"There's an airstrip just a matter of a few miles, minutes from where Alex is at the moment and we could get him home with the RAF directly to the northeast of Scotland where he belongs.

"Kate Forbes, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has been involved in a lot of talks. I just want to get him home as quickly as possible so that we can move on - instead of talking about the manner in which he died we can start talking about the manner in which he lived."

Alex Salmond dies age 69

• Alex Salmond dies hours after speech
• Scotland and political world reacts
• Salmond died of 'suspected heart attack'
• Nicola Sturgeon's tribute to "mentor"

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