Macedonia nationalist jailed for storming of parliament

SKOPJE – 12 October 2017: A Macedonian nationalist was sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday for violently pulling the hair of an MP during an attack on parliament.

Pance Angelov, 65, was convicted by a court in Skopje of assaulting MP Radmila Secerinska, who is now defence minister, during a demonstration over the election of an ethnic Albanian as the parliament's new speaker.

About 100 demonstrators broke through a police cordon and were filmed entering the parliament on April 27, attacking MPs in protest over the election of Talat Xhaferi.

During the trial, Angelov admitted his guilt and apologised to Secerinska for what happened.

In May, nine Macedonian nationals received suspended prison sentences for their part in the violence.

The protesters, supporters of ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski's VMRO party, had been demanding new elections.

They stormed parliament over fears that moves to improve the status of Albanians threatened Macedonian unity.

Ethnic Albanians make up around a quarter of the country's population.

The appointment of Xhaferi, an opposition candidate, paved the way for the election of a new opposition-led government.

During the violence several MPs were violently beaten, including SDSM leader, Zoran Zaev, who has since became prime minister.