Smilkovci Lake Killings

[Niko777]

Нереди во Скопје на протестот пред владата - YouTube

[vicsinad]

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/macedonia-police-clash-with-youths-after-killings

Macedonia police clash with youths after killings

16 Apr 2012 18:05

Source: reuters // Reuters

* Youths chanting anti-Albanian slogans clash with police

* Five men killed on eve of Orthodox Good Friday

* Police say murder motive unclear

By Kole Casule

SKOPJE, April 16 (Reuters) - Macedonia's riot police clashed on Monday with stone-throwing youths angry at the murder last week of five men near the capital Skopje.

Authorities in the Balkan country have declined to be drawn on the possible motive for the killings, but speculation has focused on tensions with the ethnic Albanian minority after bouts of intercommunal violence this year.

Several hundred youths of Macedonia's Slavic-speaking majority, many of them in football shirts and scarves, protested in Skopje's main square and in front of parliament, chanting nationalist and anti-Albanian slogans.

Violence broke out when riot police stopped them from marching across a bridge to a mainly Albanian area of the capital, and the youths began throwing stones, a Reuters photographer at the scene said. Police with batons dispersed most of the crowd and guarded the bridge.

The poor nation of 2 million people narrowly avoided civil war in 2001, when government security forces clashed with ethnic Albanian guerrillas demanding greater rights and representation for the 25-percent Albanian minority.

Western diplomacy stopped the fighting, and the guerrillas entered politics. But Macedonia's two main communities continue to live largely separate lives.

On Friday, police said they had discovered the bodies of five Macedonian men at a lake near the highway north of Skopje, triggering angry scenes as neighbours of some of the victims protested and threw stones at journalists.

Police said the men had been killed on the eve of Orthodox Good Friday, shot dead by more than one gunman at close range. Four of the victims were in their late teens and 20s, while the fifth was a 40-year-old man.

Authorities in Skopje and Western governments have appealed for calm and warned against speculating over the motive.

Last month, the killing of two Albanians by an off-duty Macedonian police officer - in an apparent row over a parking space in the western town of Gostivar - set off violence between Macedonian and ethnic Albanian youths in the capital.

The prospect of integration with NATO and the European Union helped pull Macedonia from the brink of civil war in 2001 but has since faded, blocked by a dispute with neighbouring Greece over the ex-Yugoslav republic's use of the name Macedonia. (Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Alessandra Rizzo)

[vicsinad]

Different article, different perspective

http://www.eurasiareview.com/16042012-macedonia-police-halt-attack-on-albanians/

Macedonia Police Halt Attack On Albanians

Written by: Balkan Insight
April 16, 2012

Riot police clashed with ethnic Macedonians as they attempted to move into an Albanian districts of the capital on Monday, seeking revenge for recent slaying.

By Darko Duridanski

Macedonian police intervened on Monday to stop a mob mainly composed of youngsters and hooligans from moving across the Vardar river towards an area mainly populated by ethnic Albanians.

The protest came four days after the murder of five men on the outskirts of Skopje, which has sharply fuelled inter-ethnic tensions following the spread of rumours that the men were killed by Albanians. Police have repeatedly said there is no evidence to support such claims.

In front of the government building the protesters chanted abusive slogans against Albanians. The police managed to cordon off the protesters, who were throwing bricks and stones at them. The crowd then moved in front of the parliament building where they met a heavy presence of police in riot gear.

Reporters at the scene were threatened and told to stay away and not take photographs.

The bodies of Filip Slavkovski, Aleksandar Nakjevski, Cvetanco Acevski and Kire Trickovski, all aged between 18 and 20, were discovered on Thursday night near Zelezarsko Ezero on the northern outskirts of the capital and a popular fishing destination. All had gunshot wounds.

Eyewitnesses said they were found by a local fisherman and the victims were believed to be fishermen too. The bodies had been lined up and appeared to have been executed with firearms.

The body of 45-year-old Borce Stevkovski was a short distance away from the rest. His brother said that Stevkovski may have been killed because he had accidentally witnesed the murders of the others.

Interior Ministers Gordana Jankulovska told reporters on Saturday that �the autopsy and the analysis of the bullet casings found at the scene show that three types of weapons were used which suggests there were more than one perpetrators�. The autopsy showed the victims were shot at close range. She said the murder was done by professionals.

The news of the killings have fuelled tensions in the country between Macedonians and Albanians.

Overnight on Sunday one Albanian house was burned down while on Friday police had to deploy riot police to the area as hundreds of angry Macedonians gathered near the place where the bodies were found, blocking a road and demanding that the killers be brought to justice.

Dozens of them tried to enter an area populated by ethnic Albanians, seeking revenge for the murdered men, although there was nothing to suggest that the killers were Albanian.

The minister said there is no evidence �to suggest the ethnic background or the identity of the killers, nor the motives for the killing. Therefore I appeal to all to restrain from any speculations that could fuel interethnic tensions,� she said.

The shocking incident, ahead of Orthodox Easter, seemed bound to cause more turbulence in the country between Macedonians and the country�s large ethnic Albanian minority.

Tension between the two communities has been rising since February when an off-duty Macedonian policeman shot dead two young Albanians in the northwestern town of Gostivar.

After that, the Balkan country experienced the worst outbreak of inter-ethnic gang violence since 2001, when it narrowly avoided civil war.

During first half of March gangs of mainly young people attacked people in commuter buses and on the streets in capital and in other towns, leaving at least 15 injured. After police apprehended more than 30 suspects the incidents began to subside.

[Zarni]

I suggest we dont post any news articles from Reuters or the BBC any more they are like a script from 10 years ago and are disgusting

Regarding the protest small showcase really nothing outstanding

[Soldier of Macedon]

In front of the government building the protesters chanted abusive slogans against Albanians. The police managed to cordon off the protesters, who were throwing bricks and stones at them. The crowd then moved in front of the parliament building where they met a heavy presence of police in riot gear.

This is what needs to be done, take it to the parliament, and keep the passion and fire burning! Although I think it is important to ensure this anger is directed towards the Macedonian government and irredentist elements within the state, rather than normal ethnic Albanian citizens of Macedonia.

[Zarni]

Take it to the Government absolutely will it be maintained
almost guarantee the frustration has been spilt now it is all over

[Phoenix]

On one had it's great to see a strong youth presence in these circumstances, perhaps Macedonia has a better future in another generation of its citizens.
Unfortunately, much of that frustration is misdirected and politically inept, reducing the event to nothing short of a display of crude football hooliganism.

Sadly, the protesters were very short of a much needed wider demographic content.
Where's the parents and grandparents of Macedonia's youth...don't they care that such a heinous crime has been committed against young men, are they happy to live in such a lawless state...does anyone really give a fuck about anything.

These protests should be nationwide, infront of parliament and other government buildings, including police stations.
Community pressure has to be put on the government and authorities that this form of barbarity has no place in a civilised country and that the state has a duty of protecting every citizen from the lawlessness that seems to be the norm in the region.

The message to the government has to be clear that the people aren't going to tolerate these abuses, instead the heat has been taken off the government and their responsibilites by a protest that has devolved into nothing more than a display of football hooliganism.

[Big Bad Sven]

I suggest we dont post any news articles from Reuters or the BBC any more they are like a script from 10 years ago and are disgusting

Regarding the protest small showcase really nothing outstanding

Kole Casule is a douchebag of the highest order, surely he is a macedonian "journalist" that he been bought out by the west. The Casule family are a bunch of srboman and yugozombie traitors anyway

[Big Bad Sven]

Sadly, the protesters were very short of a much needed wider demographic content.
Where's the parents and grandparents of Macedonia's youth...don't they care that such a heinous crime has been committed against young men, are they happy to live in such a lawless state...does anyone really give a fuck about anything.

It is quite sad that the only people who are marching against these shiptar crimes are the people who live in those area's affected by the crimes e.g. people from Skopje.

Its a real shame that people that live in predominantly macedonian area's such as in eastern and central macedonia dont seem to care, or the people from more wealthier parts like Ohrid or Bitola. I agree that there should have been a nationwide protest, and every government building in every city the people should have protested.

With summer/tourist season coming up im guessing the macedonians in Ohrid/Struga are doing more important things such as getting their nightclubs and cafe's ready.

[Big Bad Sven]

Youth tries to enter Bazaar, police intervenes

Several hundred Macedonian youths staged a protest against the execution style murder that took place last week in which four 18-20 year olds and one 45 year old were gunned down.

The protest escalated when the youths attempted to enter a bazaar which is home to muslim Albanian shop keepers.

Police reinforced their numbers in front of the bazaar, so now one can see at least 150 policemen there.

Although the MoI has kept it quiet on the ethnicity of the cold blooded murderers, it is widely believed they are ethnic Albanians who may have escaped to Kosovo immediately after the murder. The information their vehicle was found abandoned just 5km from the Kosovo border confirms this fact.

Kosovo is a promiseland for all regional criminals, as the province has no functioning police force, therefore it is difficult to find or arrest anyone.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/20816/2/

So its obvious they were shiptars and country that they fled to has been identified as kosovo...... i wonder if these shiptars were originally kosovo refugees that came to macedonia for asylum and were later given macedonian passports by SDSM, maybe they used their macedonian passports to easily enter and exit the country

[Big Bad Sven]

Police: At least 3 shooters involved in massacre

Footsteps, vehicle tracks, different calibre weapons all point to the fact the heinous crime committed on Thursday was done by at least three shooters, said Minister of Interior Gordana Jankulovska during a press conference earlier today.

Police also confirmed all four Macedonians were tied up, shot at (executed) from very close range. The fifth man Borce Stefkovski who according to police was witness to the crime was killed just as brutally as the rest. He too was shot multiple times in the head.

Police has summoned nearly 50 people for questioning.

Local officials as well as police are urging citizens to be vigilant, remain calm while police is investigating. Police has opened a '199' phone line urging citizens to call should they have any tips to the crime.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/20802/2/

[Big Bad Sven]

The fact that four kids were EXECUTED and shot in the head is alarming, i am surprised there has not been more out rage in macedonia. The last time people were executed was in WW2 and in the 2001 conflict.... Time for people to start waking up on whats happening next

[Phoenix]

The fact that four kids were EXECUTED and shot in the head is alarming, i am surprised there has not been more out rage in macedonia. The last time people were executed was in WW2 and in the 2001 conflict.... Time for people to start waking up on whats happening next

It looks like a fairly 'professional' job...multiple shooters, using different firearms, multiple shots to ensure death of the victims whilst going to great length to kill any witnesses at the scene.
The escape car was stolen, they used stolen plates and ensured the car spent limited time on any public roads before the crime.

Somebody has gone to great lengths to plan this and carry it out, it doesn't appear to be the work of a few teenagers or gang rivalry, it just appears a little bit too organised.

But what's the agenda...?

A deliberate provocation from the shiptar movements in Macedonia and Kosovo...to open a wider conflict between the shiptari and the state.

An act of retribution after the police parking incident several weeks ago...?

Attempting to destabilise Macedonia on the eve of the NATO summit...

Is this the work of foreign (neighbouring) intelligence services promoting their own agenda...?

[Vangelovski]

Has anyone considered any of the numerous crime gangs involved in drug and human trafficking?

[EgejskaMakedonia]

I know focus news is terrible, but have a read of this.

Macedonia: Ten people detained after Monday�s protests in Skopje
17 April 2012 | 08:53 | FOCUS News Agency
Home / Southeast Europe and Balkans
Skopje.
More than 1,000 people gathered to protest outside the building of the Macedonian government in Skopje on Monday, the local news website Plus Info reported.
Their protest comes after the killing of five fishermen close to the village of Smilkovci.
The news website says the protest was organized in the social networks and kicked off at about 5:00 p.m. The demonstrators started hurling stones at the building of the government, breaking three or four windows. The group headed to the building of the parliament and on their way the protesters managed to smashed two billboards and a patrol car.
The police arrested ten people, five of them children.

The Macedonian people are demanding that something be done about the 5 murders, yet they are treated like this.

Vandalism isn't always the civil solution, but it's a shame to see the turnout was quite poor. There really needs to be a mass protest, but who knows if that will eventuate.

Were any Albanians arrested during their own recent 'protests?' I'm interested to know. They seem to be above and beyond the law now, however Macedonians are punished for these gruesome and tragic murders.

It's incredible how the perpetrators can escape so easily. Worse yet, the Macedonian government will likely receive no assistance by Albanian and Kosovo authorities. It would not surprise me if these crimes are thrown onto the shoulders of the innocent, in an effort to 'quell' ethnic tensions.