The legal process against Ljupco Georgievski, former head of the Bitola-based Bulgarian association named after Vancho Mihailov, which has been erased from the Central Registry for over 19 months, continued on Tuesday.
In the process, he is charged with spreading xenophobic material, via information system, and national hatred towards the Macedonian people and benefits of the National Liberation Struggle. Prosecutor Olivera Necakovska asked him whether the club’s premises had included a sign containing a Mihailov quote that “The attempts by the masked Macedonian nation to lie to the world are in vain”.
However, his lawyer, Naser Raufi, said his client was proud of the quote. After the hearing, Georgievski, asked whether he was proud of the quote denying the Macedonian nation, said those were not his words.
“That is a quote by Vancho Mihailov and should spark a scientific and academic debate”, he noted, describing himself as a proud “VanchoMihailovist”.
The trial was restarted because 90 days had passed since the previous hearing. Georgievski pled not guilty, adding that he didn’t consider himself to be xenophobic either.
The process will continue on 27 March, when the defense will call former PM Ljubco Georgievski as a witness. He will testify about the life and role of Mihailov.