What happened: On the morning of the annual commemoration of the deportation of Macedonian
Jews to Treblinka Concentration Camp, citizens noted numerous graffiti with anti-Semitic, fascistic
and Nazi content and symbols on various locations in the city of Bitola. This type of incident happens
several years in a row.
Date, time and location of the incident: March 10th, on various locations in the city of Bitola.
Source of information: The national media Telma.
Victim(s) involved: Except the material damage, there were no direct victims in this incident.
Type of the crime(s): Racial and Other Discrimination, Art. 417 CCRM, Incitement of hate, discord and
intolerance on national, racial religious or other discriminatory ground (Art.319).
Perpetrator(s): Unknown.
Brief description of incident with bias indicators: The bias motive in this incident is religious affiliation
or persuasion. The bias indicators in this incident are:
1. Victim perception – From the statements made for the media, it can easily be derived that the indirect
victims – the Jewish community in Bitola, perceive the incident as bias motivated.
2. Symbols and graffiti – Perpetrators left graffiti and symbols with anti-Semitic Fascistic and Nazi
content.
3. Presumed difference in religious grounds – Due to the strictly targeted nature of the incident, there can
be presumed difference between the perpetrators and the target victims.
4. Location and timing – The incident occurred on a date of religious significance.
5. Pattern of previous incidents – The indirect victims stated that this kind of incident occurs almost every
year on this date.
6. Lack of other motives.
Status of the case: Under investigation.
Response of local authorities: The police stated via the media that they will undertake the appropriate
measures to clarify the case, but to the moment of writing of this report, the Police haven’t answered the
Request for information of public character that was sent by the Committee in relation to this incident.
Impact on the victim(s) and the community: This type of incidents brings into question the general
political situation in the country and the cohabitation between the different ethnic and religious
communities in the society.
