[Posted on Soros' Transitions Online]
Solana Target Of Insults And Stones in Macedonia
from KosovaLive
SKOPJE, 5 October (KosovaLive)--The European Union
(EU) High Representative for Foreign Policy and
Security Javier Solana, who came to Skopje on a new
initiative to unblock the political process, was the
target of an attack on 4 October by a group of ethnic Macedonian
protestors.
The incident occurred when Solana returned to speak
with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski after talks
with Albanian leaders. The crowd of ethnic
Macedonians, unobstructed by the police, rushed toward
him, stoning and insulting him as he stepped from his
car surrounded by escorts at the president's
residency. Solana was immediately removed from the
scene by vehicle.
There has not yet been any official information from
the Macedonian Interior Ministry regarding this
incident. It is unknown whether EU commissioner Chris
Patten was also in Solana's vehicle.
The EU high officials' visit to Macedonia was
scheduled in response to the refusal of some senior
Macedonian officials and many parliamentary deputies
to vote for constitutional changes.
It not known whether Solana has left Macedonia since
the incident, despite earlier indications made that he
would brief the media.
A plenary session was to be held today to examine the
last phase of constitutional changes. Parliament
cabinet officials announced, however, that the
Macedonian parliamentary chairman would make an
official visit to Bulgaria instead of convoking the
session.
Serbian News Network - SNN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.antic.org/
