47 police officers were injured, two seriously, in the capital Skopje during protests against the North Macedonian government’s concessions to EU accession negotiations. Eleven protesters were arrested late Tuesday night, Makfax news agency reported Wednesday, citing police. The nationalist opposition party VMRO-DPMNE called for the protest.
The Social Democratic government in Skopje had to make certain concessions to the neighboring country and EU member Bulgaria, so that the negotiations on the accession of the small Balkan country to the EU can start quickly. In particular, North Macedonia should include the Bulgarian ethnic group, which numbers about 3,500 people, in the preamble of its constitution. Bulgaria had blocked the start of accession negotiations for more than two years with threats of vetoes.
Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski emphasized in talks with EU Council President Charles Michel on Tuesday that his country can live with the conditions for the start of accession negotiations. The original Bulgarian demands had gone much further, including in terms of historiography and language policy.
Firebombs and firecrackers aimed at police
But the nationalist opposition also finds the concessions that have now been made unacceptable. Their supporters threw rocks, iron objects, incendiary bombs and fireworks at the police officers during the protest. As they marched through the city center, they damaged the buildings of the parliament, government and foreign ministry, the reports said.
Source: Krone
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