26. 01. 2008

MACEDONIA: GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ATTACK ON OWNER OF RADIO CHANNEL 77

SKOPJE, January 26, 2008 (MIA/Macedonian Information Agency) - Macedonian Government strongly condemns the violent attack on Goran Gavrilov, the owner of the national radio Channel 77, which took place yesterday in Stip, spokesman Ivica Bocevski said on Saturday.

- There is no room for violence in Macedonia's democratic society. The Government expects from investigation, judicial bodies to clarify all details of this incident in a swift, efficient manner and bring the perpetrators to justice, Bocevski said.

The Association of Journalists of Macedonia also condemned the attack on the radio owner, calling for the Ministry of Interior to conduct efficient investigation and to protect journalists in doing their professional job.

Unknown individuals attacked Gavrilov last night in front of his house in Stip. The perpetrators used metal metal bars and seriously injured Gavrilov, who is under medical treatment at the hospital in Stip.