Citizens of Bardovci blocked a Skopje intersection leading toward their neighborhood today, in protest against the construction of a center for asylum seekers.

The village just north of Skopje is a mix of farming families and residential areas popular with the diplomatic corps. But the Interior Ministry is currently building a new center for asylum seekers, prompting concerns about safety in the area.

Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski was silent about the construction as the protests developed, and only confirmed what he is building in Bardovci earlier this week. The local citizens demand the center to be built elsewhere.

Macedonia is currently offering to admit 450 refugees from Afghanistan who will be housed temporarily, in hotels. The center in Bardovci is meant for other asylum seekers who often cross through Macedonia on their way to the core EU member states.