Defense in Parliament storming trial: This case is politically motivated

The trial in the Parliament storming case continues Friday for a third day in a Skopje court with opening statements of defense lawyers representing defendants accused for participating in the violent incidents on 27 April 2017.

33 people, including lawmakers, former office holders, public figures, policemen, are tried in one of the most complex cases in Macedonia’s history. 31 people are charged with ‘terrorist endangerment of the constitutional order’ and two with complicity.

One of the defense lawyers called the case ‘politically motivated.’ He said he would leave the ‘whole politics’ to the prosecution.

“There were no orders, no balaclavas were worn, there are no masterminds. There was only spontaneity of all the people who were inside and outside the Parliament,” he told the court.

According to a defense lawyer, the ‘political indictment’ was successfully ‘designed.’ “These ‘terrorists’ have been recognized after six months,” he said for which he was warned by the chief judge that he might face a contempt of court accusation.

Maintaining their clients’ innocence, the defense said they hoped that the court would acquit all the accused.