Protests in North Macedonia: 47 police officers injured, some seriously!

Skopje - During protests against concessions by the North Macedonian government for EU accession talks, 47 police officers were injured in the capital Skopje, two of them seriously.

Thousands of protesters gathered, waving North Macedonian flags, holding up placards reading "No to the EU" and shouting anti-government slogans.
Thousands of protesters gathered, waving North Macedonian flags, holding up placards reading "No to the EU" and shouting anti-government slogans.  © Boris Grdanoski/AP/dpa

Eleven demonstrators were arrested late on Tuesday evening, the Makfax news agency reported on Wednesday, citing the police.

The nationalist opposition party VMRO-DPMNE had called for the protest.

The social democratic government in Skopje had to make certain concessions to its neighbor and EU member Bulgaria so that negotiations on the small Balkan country's accession to the EU can begin soon.

In particular, North Macedonia is to include the Bulgarian ethnic group of around 3,500 people in the preamble to its constitution. Bulgaria had blocked the start of accession talks for more than two years with veto threats.

In talks with EU Council President Charles Michel (46) on Tuesday, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski (48) emphasized that his country could live with the conditions for the start of accession talks. The original Bulgarian demands had gone much further and had also included questions of historiography and language policy.

However, the nationalist opposition also considers the concessions now made to be unacceptable. Their supporters threw stones, iron objects, firebombs and fireworks at the police during the protest.

The demonstration evening ended with serious injuries for two police officers, 45 others were also injured.
The demonstration evening ended with serious injuries for two police officers, 45 others were also injured.  © Boris Grdanoski/AP/dpa
Thousands of people gathered in front of the government building in Skopje with numerous flags and signs.
Thousands of people gathered in front of the government building in Skopje with numerous flags and signs.  © Boris Grdanoski/AP/dpa
"We don't need Europe if we are to be assimilated," opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski (44) made clear to the demonstrators. "I don't want to belong to Europe because I have the right to be a Macedonian who speaks the Macedonian language and fights for his identity and culture."
"We don't need Europe if we are to be assimilated," opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski (44) made clear to the demonstrators. "I don't want to belong to Europe because I have the right to be a Macedonian who speaks the Macedonian language and fights for his identity and culture."  © Boris Grdanoski/AP/dpa

During their march through the city center, they damaged the buildings of parliament, the government and the foreign ministry, according to the reports.