Accused of 27 April Case Arrive at Court, Hearing Delayed Until 26 Feb

Former PS, Trajko Veljanovski, former Transport and Connections and Education minister, Mile Janakievski and Spiro Ristovski, as well as former UBK Director, Vladimir Atanasovski who are accused with organizing the violence on 27 April at Parliament had their hearing delayed until 26 February by Judge Ilija Trpkov because of insufficient time for evidence revision by the defence. “The suspects as organizers included the overall party structure and the material funds for accomplishing the goal and enabled continued decrease in the number of police officers for protest security. With the intent to jeopardize the constitutional order and safety, the day in question, they organized undisturbed entry of the people into Parliament, including party associations and employing people to perpetrate violence. At the same time, the political party headquarters continuously mobilized the Skopje and other city membership. During the time, one of the suspects by vehicle, owned by UBK, brought firearms and bulletproof vests in front of the Parliament, intended for persons that were protesting and had experience with firearms. With these activities, the suspects caused feeling of endangerment, jeopardy and fear among the citizens,” stands in the Prosecution’s press-release. The investigation included former PM, Nikola Gruevski and former UBK member, Nikola Boskovski, for who the procedure is frozen until they are made available to the prosecutor bodies. Prosecutor, Vilma Ruskovska, after the hearing stated that the evidence has been handed over to the defence in written form, except the data from the phone operators of the incoming and outgoing call list, because of which she personally believes that this is nothing more than delay tactics. Former UBK Director, Vladimir Atanasovski’s attorney, Jordan Apostoloski stated after the hearing that there is no proof of any involvement by his client and denied Ruskovska’s claim that for each of the accused the prosecution has listed around 300 witnesses, saying that the list for his client amounts to around ten.