Reactions to Single Macedonia leader Janko Bacev’s statement

Government spokesperson Mile Bosnjakovski fully condemned the statement made the previous day by Single Macedonia leader Janko Bacev, in which he’d used an offensive word against the Albanian community in Macedonia. The government also urged the relevant institutions to investigate whether it contained hate speech and react properly. Bosnjakovski called on all political stakeholders to voice a stand and condemn “this undemocratic act”, which, in his view, could result in violence in Macedonia. SDSM, too, condemned the statement, while VMRO-DPMNE said it opposed any found hate speech. “We don’t support any found hate speech, but, at the same time, that doesn’t give the government the right to exert pressures towards a formation of an opinion that suits it. Freedom of speech needs to be practiced according to democratic principles, by respecting human rights,” the party says. Voice for Macedonia leader Solza Grceva, too, distanced herself from the statement.