Knife incident in Čair, Toshkovski calls for a joint response from parents and institutions

Minister Toshkovski said that the injured minor is in extremely serious condition and is fighting for his life.

“One person is currently in very serious condition and is at risk of losing his life. He is a minor, while the initial information obtained by the Ministry’s services indicates that the perpetrator of the criminal offense is also a minor. Both children—the one who sustained serious bodily injuries and the one who inflicted them—belong to the same generation and were born in 2012,” the minister said.

According to Toshkovski, cases of serious violence committed by minors are a problem that affects not only North Macedonia, but also the large and developed states of the European Union.

The minister stressed that these are criminal offenses involving an extremely high level of violence, while the criminal and social response cannot be the same as that applied to adults.

“As a society, we must analyze this problem more deeply and build a comprehensive institutional response. The responsible ministries and all social actors must be involved in this process, including parents, social work centers, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, the Ministry of Education, healthcare centers and the Ministry of Health. Without a doubt, this is one of the greatest challenges we are facing,” Toshkovski stressed.