Member of Bulgarian Culture Club Assaulted in Ljabunista

Co-president of the Association of Bulgarians in Macedonia “Shemeto” Bekir Kadrieski
stated for Bulgarian news web portal NOVA that he was a victim of physical assault by a
fellow-citizen in Ljabunista, Struga, only because he openly declares as ethnic Bulgarian.
Kadrieski claimed that he was assaulted by one man, who pushed him to the ground and
kicked him while calling him “filthy Bulgarian”. From the Ohrid-based department of the
Interior Ministry they confirmed the incident, which took place on June 13 around noon in
Ljabunista. Kadriseki’s interview for NOVA provoked reactions by Bulgarian politicians.
From GERB, the party of former Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov, they condemned the incident
and that they will demand immediate resolution of the case and punishment for the
perpetrator. From VMRO-BND they called upon official Sofia to demand from the EU to
immediately freeze the accession negotiations with North Macedonia until “the genocide
over Macedonian Bulgarians ends”.