SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
Regarding the Albanian Flag Day incidents, Bojan Hristovski, Director of the Agency for National Security, said on Saturday that since information of security services was classified, he couldn’t reveal details in terms of whether they had operational info prior to the incidents and, if so, what type.
“We are up to date with all events both preventively and reactively. As in previous situations, over this one too, we were operatively focused on preventing violent extremism, which will continue to be the case further. We have great cooperation with all security organs”, he stressed, adding that citizens could be calm.
Hristovski also responded to the opposition’s accusations that the services had failed because they hadn’t notified police on time, asking how they could know whether that had been truly the case.
Also on Saturday, Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said he’d received a warning. The Interior Minister claimed he had evidence of involvement of DUI staff in the incidents.
VLEN, too, alleged that the incidents had been caused by DUI staff on the surrounding streets, while the celebration at Skanderbeg Square had been reported to the Ministry by Cair Municipality and the situation there was peaceful, according to the Interior Minister. PM Hristijan Mickoski, too, believes that DUI’s demand for Toskovski to resign is illogical.
“Nobody was arrested for a celebration. Desecrating a foreign flag cannot be considered a celebration,” he underlined.
On Sunday, Arben Fetai said VLEN had secured photos proving that the young people who’d burned the national flag were close associates of DUI’s Artan Grubi.
“It’s hypocritical for you to instigate the young people to burn the flag that you would have in your office. You’ve failed once again,” Fetai noted.
DUI denied involvement in the incidents. “We will not allow to be subject to political spins and manipulations. We will take all legal measures against these fake accusations,” it said.
