Bitola to Provide Financial Help for Families of People Convicted in 27 April Case

The Council of Bitola Municipality has decided to provide one-time financial assistance of 10,000 denars to the families of those convicted over the 27 April 2017 storming of Parliament. The decision was adopted thanks to the majority from VMRO-DPMNE, which didn’t explain the initiative. Councillors from other parties, however, criticised the term “wrongfully convicted”. DOM Councillor Anastasija Trajkovska said she wanted to be excluded from the vote, adding that the Council was not a court. Councillors from Levica supported the initiative even though they described it as hypocritical and shameful. “This is classic blackmail and disparaging of those people. It’s shameful for us to be doing this with Municipality funds. However, we will vote in favour because we believe the families need help,” Levica’s Gavril Trajkovski said. In a press-release, SDSM described the decision as abuse of money of Bitola taxpayers.