Bitola investigation launched into death of 39-year-old man

An investigation is underway following the death of a 39-year-old man from Strumica, identified as J.I., who was found dead near the Clinical Hospital in Bitola on August 31.

Video footage surfaced showing an unidentified man dragging an unconscious person along the Shirok Sokak pavement. The Prosecutor's Office confirmed that the individual in the video is the deceased man. While the Prosecutor's Office received verbal reports of a fight near the location of the video, no written report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs was provided at that time.

Preliminary findings indicate that after the incident, the man sought medical attention at the Bitola hospital emergency center and was referred for further testing. However, it remains unclear when he left the hospital or his whereabouts during the 12 hours leading up to his body being discovered.

While unofficial reports suggest heart failure may have been the cause of death, official results from the autopsy are still pending. The Prosecutor's Office is investigating all circumstances surrounding the case.