Skopje, 5 February 2024 (MIA) — Alliance for Albanians leader and Gostivar Mayor Arben Taravari in a social media post Monday said the bullet left at his doorstep earlier in the day was clearly a threat but "the change has begun and nothing will stop it."

"Law enforcement officers were at my house today, as reported in the media, because a bullet was left there with a clear, threatening, mafioso message.

"I am sorry for my family and especially for my mother who took this badly. I'm sorry for those politicians who show that their arguments to silence people's voices are bullets, bullets reminding me of 1992 Italy where the mafia killed the famous judge Giovanni Falcone... I'm sorry for that... But my sorrow ends there and my joy begins because I understand that those who have held this land hostage are despairing their loss! Anyone who has nothing more to say and has only a bullet left is in big trouble," Taravari wrote on Facebook.

"No matter how heavy artillery you fire, the change has begun and nothing can stop it," he added.

"You can kill me and it would be a great loss for my family and I am sorry my children are also reading this… But you would only kill one person," Taravari wrote.

"What will you do with thousands, hundreds of thousands and millions of people who have risen to their feet?

"You cannot silence, kill, stop a nation! Thank you all for supporting me! You have made my heart a mountain! You started the change with or without me. The change is done!"

Meanwhile, the European Alliance for Change said in a press release that the threat to the Alliance for Albanians leader Taravari was "a serious attack on democracy and European values."

"It is clear that DUI cannot leave its past behind and share European values. The criminalized government, now supported by Zijadin Sela, continues its style of threats and murders against anyone who jeopardizes their government position," they wrote.

The bullet at Taravari's doorstep, they added, "proves that DUI and Zijadin Sela as partners of SDSM have nothing in common with Europe and its values."

"It has exposed both pro-Russian and pro-Serb policies. Today's threat against Taravari proves that this government is carrying out anti-European actions. Only Vladimir Putin and Aleksandar Vucic are known to send this kind of threats," the release said.

In the release, the European Alliance for Change has also requested that the police solve the case and find the perpetrators as quickly as possible. 

Earlier, a police report said a cartridge from an automatic weapon of caliber 7.62 mm had been found at the front door of 50-year-old Gostivar resident A.T.'s house.

Officers from the Tetovo and Gostivar police departments were sent to the scene to investigate. They photographed and collected the cartridge for forensic examination, the report said. mr/