A protest in support of the chairman of the Bulgarian club in Bitola Ivan Mihaylov, which was closed, Ljupco Georgievski, who was sentenced to a suspended term of one year of imprisonment, with a 2-year probation period, took place in front of the embassy of the Republic of North Macedonia in Sofia, at the initiative of the youth organization of the VMRO.

• Bulgarian sentenced in North Macedonia for quoting Ivan Mihaylov

Ljupco Georgievski was tried and sentenced for xenophobia, racism and spread of racial hatred online by sharing quotes by Ivan Mihaylov, posted on Facebook, BNR’s Vesselina Milanova reports. The chairman of the youth organization of the VMRO Kaloyan Hristov told the BNR that the protest was in defence of the Bulgarians in North Macedonia and against the sentencing of Ljupco Georgievski – “something unseen in the 21^st century in an EU candidate country which is not fulfilling human rights nor is it complying with the Copenhagen criteria”.

VMRO will notify the European Commission and the European Parliament of the political trial against Ljupco Georgievski and against all Bulgarians in North Macedonia, said former MEP Angel Dzhambazki.

Edited by Diana Tsankova
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photos: BTA