Ohrid court acquits men who assaulted Hristiyan Pendikov

An Ohrid court has acquitted Borche Angelov and Iliya Spaseski, the men accused of a brutal assault on Hristiyan Pendikov near Lake Ohrid in January 2023. Pendikov, the former secretary of the ‘Tsar Boris III’ association, sustained severe physical injuries during the attack, including a broken jaw, ribs, and vertebrae.

In the initial trial, the court had sentenced both defendants to eight months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence. However, following an appeal by the prosecution, the case was returned to the first instance. The same judge and prosecutor subsequently issued an acquittal, a decision Pendikov has described as “shameful and disgraceful” for a rule-of-law state.

Pendikov expressed concern that the ruling creates a sense of impunity for attacks against individuals with Bulgarian identity in North Macedonia, stating that the decision suggests “the hunt for Bulgarians is free.” As of the latest reports, the written motives for the acquittal have not yet been delivered to the affected party.