Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Three years without justice for the arson attack on the Bulgarian Cultural Centre in Bitola

The Ivan Mihaylov Cultural Club in Bitola
Photo: BGNES-archive

June 4 marked three years since the arson attack against the Ivan Mihaylov Cultural Centre in Bitola, North Macedonia. It sparked a strong public reaction and raised the issue of human rights and interethnic relations in North Macedonia.

On this occasion, Lyupcho Georgievski, Chairman of the Ivan Mihaylov Cultural Club, banned by North Macedonia’s authorities, issued a statement on social media claiming the arson was a deliberate attack against the Bulgarian community. ''Instead of the crime being investigated, the victims have been turned into defendants. Instead of bringing the perpetrators to justice, the state targeted us with its repressive machinery. A fabricated political case was brought against me. After three years of court proceedings, the trial has ended, but the court stubbornly remains silent. The verdict is deliberately postponed to prolong the execution'', Lyupcho Georgievski wrote. ''In a European Macedonia, Bulgarians are persecuted for their identity. The doors to Europe do not open through club arsons, human rights violations and political trials'', reads Georgievski’s statement, quoted by tribuna.mk. 

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photo: BGNES-archive



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria's new warship “Hrabri” has started sea trials

The new modular multi-purpose vessel of the Bulgarian Navy, ''Hrabri'' (Brave), was launched into Varna Lake from the pier of the MTG – Dolphin shipyard. Construction of the modular multi-purpose vessel began in 2022. It is the first of two..

published on 11/11/25 9:51 AM

Bulgaria calls on Russia to stop disturbing satellite and RNSS signals

''Russia continues to disturb satellite and Radio Navigation Satellite System (RNSS) signals, affecting European countries’ critical infrastructure and services'', Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on X. Von der Leyen’s plane..

published on 11/11/25 9:03 AM
Vitosha Mountain, near Sofia

Autumn rains in the Danube Plain, winds in Thrace

On Tuesday, minimum temperatures will range from 8 to 13°C , with Sofia seeing around 9°C. Rain is expected across the country, with heavier showers in north-eastern and central Bulgaria. Yellow alerts have been issued for twelve regions and orange alerts..

published on 11/10/25 7:05 PM