Igor Vckov, the Roma man from Strumica who was brutally beaten yesterday, spoke out today about the assault. Vckov blamed the attack on the men from a security company that is linked to Prime Minister Zoran Zaev – who was Mayor of Strumica for a decade and practically runs the city.

Vckov said that he fled the hospital because he is afraid of facing continued attacks. He said that the incident on Thursday happened in a casino where he was playing slot games. He said that the waitress called the security on him after he complained that there is no beer.

A dozen men came, they were punching me, hitting me. I begged them to stop, said I am about to die. They were led by Sasko, from the security team of Zoran Zaev. Look at the camera footage, you can see that at one point they tried to run me over with a car. They hit me with a stick on the head. Police came but the attackers shooed them off. I eventually lost my consciousness, Vckov said in a video conversation with a local Roma activist.

Vckov said that the attackers ordered him not to come to Strumica again, that the city is off limits to him. The lead attacker was identified yesterday as Aleksandar Trajkov – Sasko, one of Zaev’s lead bodyguard. Trajkov denied that he was part of the group, but claimed that Vckov provoked the attack on him and that he was armed. Vckov denied carrying a knife or any other weapon on himself.

I’m in pain, but I was afraid to stay in the hospital. It’s the Zaev mafia, I can’t stay there. I don’t have money to sue them. I was beaten in front of the whole of Strumica, the entire city watched them beat me up, Vckov added.