Ohrid Court acquits defendants in Hristiyan Pendikov assault case

The Basic Court in Ohrid has acquitted Iliya Spaseski and Borche Angelov of charges related to the violent assault on Hristiyan Pendikov, the secretary of the former Bulgarian association ‘Tsar Boris III’. The decision comes more than three years after the January 19, 2023, attack, which left Pendikov with severe injuries, including a broken jaw and fractured ribs.

The case was sent back for retrial by the Bitola Appellate Court following appeals from both the prosecution and the defense regarding a previous sentence of eight months in prison. During the recent proceedings, the court ruled that it had not been conclusively established that the defendants committed the crime or that the attack was motivated by ethnic hatred.

The verdict has drawn sharp criticism from Pendikov and his legal team. Pendikov described the ruling as ‘shameful’ and a sign of a failing justice system, stating that the decision suggests violence against Bulgarians in North Macedonia goes unpunished. Bulgarian deputies were also present during the hearing to monitor the proceedings.