The Main Prosecutor's Office in Skopje has initiated criminal proceedings against a 44-year-old resident of Skopje, suspected of creating a general danger under Art. 288 of the Criminal Code of North Macedonia, in connection with the arson of the two diplomatic cars in front of the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje, BTA reported.
The statement from the prosecutor's office says that on June 15, around noon, in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria, the suspect caused a significant danger “to the lives of people and to property on a large scale” by setting fire.
According to the prosecutor's office, he arrived in the center of Skopje by bus, filled a plastic bottle with gasoline from the gas station near the Bulgarian embassy, then crossed the street and approached the two parked diplomatic cars owned by the embassy, which he doused with gasoline and lit with a lighter, and immediately after causing the fire, left the scene.
“Given the type, nature and gravity of the crime in question, the fact that it was committed against two diplomatic vehicles at noon, in the center of Skopje, during a period when the frequency of movement of people and vehicles in this part of the city is high, the prosecutor considered that there were obvious circumstances indicating the existence of conditions for determining a detention measure and proposed to the court to determine such a security measure during the proceedings”, the statement of the prosecutor's office.
Today's announcement by the Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia shows that material evidence was obtained during the investigation, including video surveillance footage from several locations, as well as the clothes the suspect was wearing during the crime. At the police station, the suspect admitted to committing the crime.
The article of the Criminal Code cited by the prosecutor's office states that "whoever, by means of fire, flood, explosion, poison or poisonous gas, ionizing radiation, motive power, electrical or other energy or by means of another generally dangerous action or means, causes a significant danger to the life or health of people or property on a large scale, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of six months to five years".