Skopje, 6 December 2023 (MIA) - President Stevo Pendarovski said Wednesday it is dangerous to pursue politics that sparks ethnic hatred, especially for a multi-ethnic country like North Macedonia, and it is a particularly detrimental practice to give ethnic connotation to tragedies, such as the last one with the murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski.

Appeals don't reach political entities that give all tragedies an ethnic connotation, the efficiency of the rule of law is needed.

In response to reporters' questions on the sidelines of Wednesday's Open Anti-Corruption Forum, when asked to give a message to the public, he pointed out that it is a tragedy in which two fellow citizens lost their lives, and as regards those who spread hate speech, he said he believes that the appeals don't get through to them, and it is necessary for the rule of law to take the necessary steps in that sense. 

"Now you are asking me to give a message to the public. I don't think it gets through to them, it doesn't reach them. They are simply that way, that's how they think politics should be pursued, which is extremely dangerous for a country like Macedonia, with such an internal ethnic and religious structure, to play with such things, with hate speech. I believe those people and parties should be sanctioned. Simply put, there is no need for appeals, it does not get through to them, it does not reach them. It is necessary for the rule of law to take the necessary steps in that sense... Such practice, a detrimental practice of looking at all perpetrators or victims only through an ethnic prism, and the last tragic case has no ethnic component, is happening with certain political entities and politicians, individuals, from a while back," said Pendarovski. 

Those entities, according to the President, resort to such politics because they have no other specific political offers.

He added that the latest tragic event is a tragedy for two fellow citizens, and that the suspects are only accused for the time being, it is necessary to respect the presumption of innocence, i.e. wait for the outcome of the court proceedings.

"However, the prime suspect in particular, is known for such rhetoric, hate speech, for decades and nobody did anything about it. He was involved in politics. The policies of his party voiced through him only spread hatred towards certain ethnic communities living in Macedonia. So it doesn't surprise me that such rhetoric, which preceded the crime, is now being followed by others with a similar structure, politicians or public figures, or people active on social networks, who are just continuing what he has been doing for years, and unfortunately the system did not react," Pendarovski said. 

Speaking at a press conference late Tuesday to announce the arrest of prime suspect Ljupcho Palevski-Palcho in Turkey, Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski said no one can threaten the country's peace and stability, adding that Palevski's party must be delisted. 

Palevski was arrested in Turkey on Tuesday, and the Ministry of Justice said today it has sent a request to the competent Turkish authorities that Palevski be kept in detention until extradition proceedings are completed. 

The Skopje-based Criminal Court ordered the remaining four suspects to spend another 30 days in detention as requested by the Public Prosecutor's Office which opened an investigation into two brutal murders.

In addition to the prime suspect Palevski, suspects in the murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska and 74-year-old Panche Zhezhovski include members of Palevski's Desna party - Velibor Manev, Vlatko Keshishov and Bore Videvski, who admitted guilt. According to the investigation, Vanja's father, Aleksandar Gjorchevski, is also involved in the case, and is suspected of sharing information with the other suspects over his daughter's whereabouts. 

Photo: MIA archive/President's Office