North Macedonia's Foreign Minister condemns opening of Bulgarian club "King Boris III" in Ohrid

The protest in Ohrid against the opening of the Bulgarian cultural club of the association "King Boris III" ended without any major disturbances of public order and, contrary to the claims, there were no attempts to clash with the police. This was said in an interview with a local publication by the Minister of Interior of North Macedonia, Oliver Spasovski, as by quoted by BTA, on October 7.

Protest is the strongest right of citizens to express what they think, he said. Spasovski condemned the opening of such a club in the Republic of North Macedonia, especially in Ohrid, because, in his words, this is a country "built on the gains of the national liberation struggle." The minister considers it unacceptable to "propagandise through characters who were part of fascism".

The second Bulgarian cultural club named after King Boris III in Ohrid opened today amid protests, booing and an increased police presence.

Half an hour before its opening, a large protest, organised by the two opposition parties in the Republic of North Macedonia - "Levica" and VMRO-DPMNE - started in front of the shopping centre where it is located. There was a lot of provocation, pelting with eggs and water bottles, but the police intervened adequately and no people were injured.

In the coming days, attacks on the building are expected, but they will be removed, assures Dr. Milen Vrabevski, who financed the opening of the centre.