52-Year-Old from Struga Arrested for Insulting Prime Minister Mickoski

The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that S.G. (52), a resident of Struga, was arrested on suspicion of making verbal insults on August 2 during Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s visit to Tashmarunishte. According to VMRO-DPMNE, the arrested man possessed Bulgarian documents.

As reported by the Lideri.mk portal, S.G. was arrested following a report that he had committed the criminal offense of “obstructing an official in the performance of official duties.”

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said in its statement that on August 2, S.G. (52) verbally insulted public figures attending an event marking August 2, Republic Day. The institution explained that once the case has been fully documented, the appropriate charges will be filed against him.

Both SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE reacted to the incident yesterday.

SDSM raised the question of whether citizens had verbally attacked Mickoski and whether the insults directed at him were related to unfulfilled promises. According to the party, citizens cannot stand the prime minister because of the politics of hatred, discord and division that it claims Mickoski pursues and also displayed in his Ilinden speech. SDSM also stated that there is widespread dissatisfaction over the catastrophic economic situation, water pollution, the country’s isolation and Mickoski’s daily lies.

VMRO-DPMNE, meanwhile, responded to SDSM by saying that the latter had recognized itself in Mickoski’s speech in Pelince and had demonstrated that it was fully coordinated with external centers.

VMRO-DPMNE said in its response that Mickoski, greeted by the citizens in attendance, walked among them as befits a popular leader. The party contrasted him with the SDSM leader, who it said distances himself from the people on expensive yachts and, on a day such as Ilinden, addresses citizens through recorded messages. According to VMRO-DPMNE, as Mickoski was moving among the citizens, a person under the influence of alcohol attempted to provoke an incident by shouting inappropriate words. The citizens present isolated him, while members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs identified him. During the identification procedure, the person presented a Bulgarian identity card and passport.