What happened: On the JSP bus no.65B which rode towards the village of Smilkovci in Skopje, while a 16-year-old minor from the village of Creshevo – Skopje was sitting on the second fl oor of the bus
along with several other persons, at the bus stop in front of the gas station on “Metodija Andonov
Chento” Street, three unknown male persons at the age of around 16-17 got on the bus and sat
near the injured person. At one point, one of the persons approached the injured and physically
attacked him by hitting him with punches and kicks, at which point the other persons joined him and
continued to beat, pull and harass the injured and one other person. One of the perpetrators who
held a knife in his hands and put it close to the neck of a female person. At that point, with the intent
to deter the perpetrator, the injured pushed him. In that moment, the perpetrators started waving
with their knives at him and his friend, and cut him on the right shinbone. A short time after, when
the doors of the bus opened, the perpetrators fl ed.
Date, time and location of the incident: 4 November, 12:15, on the JSP bus no. 65B.
Source of information: Daily newspaper Dnevnik; Daily Newsletter of MOI
Victim(s) involved: One person.
Type of the crime(s): Violence (Article 386, CC), Bodily injury (Article 130, CC), Threatening the safety
(Article 144, CC).
Perpetrator(s): One unknown person.
Brief description of the incident with bias indicators: In the incident, the bias motive is ethnicity,
nationality or language and the bias indicators are:
1. Assumed difference in ethnicity – the perpetrator and the victim were on the bus no. 65 which
transits through an area inhabited by people of different ethnicities; in areas with people of different
ethnicities, it is possible that the victim and the perpetrator are of different ethnicities;
2. Pattern of previous incidents – this incident is the latest in the growing trend of violence on the JSP
bus no. 65.
Status of the case: Under investigation.
Response of Local Authorities: In MOI’s response to the Committee’s request for public information
regarding this incident, it is stated that SIA Skopje was taking appropriate measures and actions for
establishing the perpetrator’s identity who violated the public peace and order by a physical attack
and appropriate charges would be fi led against him.
Impact on the victim(s) and the community: This incident calls into question the ethnic coexistence
between the two largest communities in the country.
