VMRO DPMNE Deflects Blame for Attack on Macedonian Journalists

Macedonia's ruling VMRO DPMNE party on Wednesday dismissed claims by the head of an important media union that it was to blame for Tuesday's assault on two reporters as well as other similar attacks on journalists.

Naser Selmani, head of the Journalists' Association of Macedonia, ZNM, said that even if the VMRO DPMNE party was not directly linked to the attacks, it had created an atmosphere in which such incidents occurred with impunity, partly by not punishing previous incidents.

"This is a culmination of events over the past four years. The government of [VMRO DPMNE leader] Nikola Gruevski is coordinating attacks on journalists in order to prevent objective reporting about events in Macedonia. I want to convey a message to VMRO DPMNE leader Gruevski to pull back his thugs," Selmani said.

The row started after A1on news outlet cameraman Vladimir Zelceski and journalist Aleksandar Todevski were attacked by unknown assailants on Tuesday in the centre of Skopje.

They were beaten up while reporting on a protest against the announced formation of a new opposition Social Democrat-led coalition government.

"Participants at the protest attacked the reporters from behind, throwing punches towards their heads and kicking them. They took their camera, threw it to the ground and started kicking it, completely destroying it," A1on editor-in-chief Predrag Petrovic said on Tuesday.

The Interior Minister said he condemned the assault.

"In my own name and in the name of the Ministry, I condemn the attacks and I assure you that the Ministry will use all of its capacities to completely resolve this case. All attempts to disturb public order will be sanctioned," Interior Minister Agim Nuhiu told a press conference on Wednesday,...