February 25 - March 4 2002

Skopje, March 4th, 2001

EMERGENCY BACKGROUND

Security and political situation

Allowed, then prevented entry of the police in the Tetovo area…
 On February 25, the ethnically mixed police patrols were supposed to enter in 15 villages in the Tetovo area, however they did enter in three of them: Bogovinje, Pirok and Zerovjane. The same day the local Albanian population disallowed the police to patrol in their villages. On March 1, the ethnically mixed police patrols entered for the first time in nine months in Drenovec 1 and Drenovec 2 Tetovo communities, but they will be allowed to stay there until March 15, until when the police checkpoint located near the city stadium should be dislocated. …and in Kumanovo area. On February 27, the police patrols were disallowed to enter in the village of Opae due to the detention of two women in an action when 12 persons were arrested.

Group of 12 suspects arrested.
On February 26, the police arrested 12 persons, suspected for planning attacks against the security forces and certain buildings in Skopje. The suspects were caught with great quantities of weapons. According to police information, this group was planning to attack several foreign embassies in Macedonia.

Incidents in Tetovo.
During the weekend, on March 2-3, several armed clashes occurred in Tetovo, in which one civilian and one reservist were killed. Unknown bomber threw a hand grenade in the backyard of a house owned by ethnic Macedonian. The explosion caused small material damage.

Shops damaged in Resen.
On February 29, nine shops, owned by ethnic Albanians and Turks were demolished.

The political parties reached agreement about the text of the amnesty Law.
On February 25, leaders of the four political parties: VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, PDP and DPA, which are signers of the Framework Agreement, reached an agreement for the text of the Law for Amnesty.

The Coordination Council of the Albanians established.
On February 27, at Mala Recica community in Tetovo, the Coordination Body of the Albanians held a constitutional session. Members of the Coordination Body are per two representatives of DPA, PDP and NDP parties and three representatives of the former NLA.

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