Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov strongly condemned the attack yesterday on two former Government Minister Mile Janakieski and Spiro Ristovski, in the Shutka prison in Skopje. The two were attacked by imprisoned members of the Albanian terror group which attacked Kumanovo in 2015, killing eight Macedonian officers.

Prison authorities must guarantee the safety of all prisoners. There can be no excuse for such incidents, the President’s office said via a press release.

The President reminds the Government on its international obligations not to engage in torture or in inhumane or humiliating behavior.

In the preceding period, a number of requests for pardons which were delivered to the Office of the President raised the issue of prison safety. Therefore I demand that the case is resolved immediately and that all responsible face responsibility, President Ivanov added.