FYROM police

The former prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Nikola Gruevski said on Tuesday he had fled to Hungary and was seeking political asylum there, six months after he was sentenced to two years in prison on corruption-related charges.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has extended the state of emergency at its southern and northern borders until June 2019 in an effort to reduce illegal border crossings by migrants.

Parliament approved the measure for the borders with Greece and Serbia because of increased migratory flows.

The atmosphere in Idomeni remains electric, while new violent incidents broke out between refugees and migrants at midnight.

According to police, around 30 persons were involved in the scuffles at Idomeni’s railway causing damage to the glass front of the canteen.

Greek Alternate Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection Nikos Toskas said that the people living in urban areas have not ‘really’ felt the pressures of the refugee crisis, in an interview to state broadcaster ERT TV, Tuesday.

The statement of Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Toskas following the violent incidents took place in Idomeni has raised many concerns.

The tension accumulated over the past months in Idomeni erupted into violence on Sunday, when FYROM authorities responded to refugees protesting at Greek-FYROM border with tear gas, flash grenades and rubber bullets.

FYROM police officers entered Greek territory on Sunday to remove the refugees and immigrants protesting, including many children.
The police while being in Greek territory fired tear gas and rubber bullets against the demonstrators, despite the fact that many children were among the demonstrators.