SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
The recent events at the Flight Control Department at the Air Navigation (M-NAV) have resulted with an exchange between the Criminal Court and the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office (BPPO), after the Criminal Court decided to only determine precaution measures against the persons BPPO accused of the assaults over the flight controllers at M-NAV last week.
The Criminal Court came out with explanation that the BPPO did not provide strong enough evidence against the suspects so they can determine detention measures.
“BPPO charges eight persons as responsible for the attack at M-NAV, but only provided evidence against four of them. Apart from this, the evidence provided does not indicate clearly that the persons in question have committed the criminal acts punishable in accordance with Article 303 Section 2 from the Criminal Code. BPPO did not provide medical documentation to prove that the damage party has been injured in the reported incident, and also did not provide a statement by them. To this we can also add the official report from the Agency for Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which clearly states that the security of the air traffic was in no way endangered during the incident,” they reported from the Criminal Court.
BPPO reacted to this, announcing that they will file an appeal to the decision of the Criminal Court. “BPPO filed to the Court concrete evidence that air traffic security was indeed endangered during the incident caused by the four suspects, as well as evidence for possibility for them to influence and pressure potential witnesses or to repeat the criminal act. The very act of violence against the flight controllers is clear and direct danger over the air traffic security that could’ve resulted with serious consequences,” they report from BPPO.
In meantime, police officers have arrested at the Tabanovce border-crossing on the border with Serbia one of the flight controllers that was assaulted during the incident in M-NAV.
From the Interior Ministry they confirmed that there was an arrest warrant against the person in question, in relation with Article 303 Section 2 from the Criminal Code, i.e. that he is sought for endangering air traffic security. Namely, the person was searched for in order to provide statement for the incident in M-NAV.
The government is set to hold a session on Tuesday at which the ministers are expected to discuss and eventually carry out the dismissal of the full management of M-NAV and open a call for selection of new directors and management board.
8 persons are charged over the physical assault at M-NAV last week over flight controllers who protest the employment of candidates they claim are not competent for the open positions, among them being DUI member and former minister Bekim Neziri.
