Former ministers Janakieski and Ristovski attacked in Prison

Former ministers Mile Janakieski and Spiro Ristovski, who are in detention in the Suto Orizari prison, were attacked on Wednesday. The prison’s management presented details. The incident had been preceded by a verbal argument caused by Spirovski towards an inmate, L.K., which later on turned into a light physical confrontation that was immediately broken up by the prison’s services. “Later on, once again during another regular walk, another verbal incident took place. It was caused by Janakieski towards another inmate, E.K., which turned into a physical confrontation. It, too, was broken up immediately by the prison’s services,” it was said in the press-release. Written statements from eyewitnesses were taken and a relevant court was notified. After the incidents, examinations were provided for the former ministers. Ristovski didn’t ask for additional medical help, while Janakieski complained of pains. As a result, he was taken to the City General Hospital “8-mi Septemvri”. The prison’s management said violence wouldn’t be tolerated. Commenting on the incident, the two ministers’ wives, Sanja Najankieska and Maja Risteska, said the incident showed the former ministers weren’t safe, adding that they were seriously worried about their lives. Based on what they heard, the members of the group imprisoned over the Divo Naselje case attacked Janakieski and when Ristovski tried to help him, he, too, was attacked.  VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski tried to visit Janakieski in the Hospital, but wasn’t allowed to enter his room. “They didn’t allow me to visit Mile Janakieski. Nobody came to tell us what’s happening. There were 50 police members outside Mile Janakieski’s room. We were waiting for the Director to receive instructions from his boss, PM Zoran Zaev, to tell us, to justify this to us. The doctor told us Mile had bodily injuries,” Mickoski stated.  The case will be reported with the international factors, according to Mickoski. “The madness has continued. This criminal government is showing its true face. Today, Spiro and Mile are the victims. Tomorrow, each and every one of you will be a victim. This is unprecedented. The state has failed to protect them,” the VMRO-DPMNE leader added. The Hospital said Janakieski had complained of pains in his body and head, but the medical examination had shown no bodily injuries. In the press-release, the health institution urged the public to follow the relevant institutions’ official information and not to fall for speculations. Janakieski was afterwards returned to the prison. The Justice Ministry condemned the incident. The prison’s management said it would start an investigation right away. If there are oversights, there will be disciplinary accountability, the Director, Gjoko Kotevski, stated. According to SDSM, Mickoski and former PM Nikola Gruevski, “through new scenarios of violence, are trying to defocus the public from the leading role of VMRO-DPMNE’s top as the suspected organiser of the 27 April 2017 violence”.