Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said that the number of arrests following the nationalist Albanian gatherings two days ago rose to 17. All of them are charged with destruction of national symbols, after Albanian youth set fire to Macedonian flags during the Albanian Independence Day gatherings.

Three Macedonian youths were arrested in Prilep, after they responded to the Albanian provocations by burning the Albanian national flag.

One Albanian was arrested in Kumanovo after he damaged symbols at the Serbian honorary consulate in this city. A man in Kicevo was arrested for lowering both the Macedonian and the Albanian flag from a pole.

I want to send out an appeal to all. We live well in our shared homeland for many years, we respect each other, and we must not allow such unwanted incidents and events to lead us down a wrong path, Minister Toskovski said.