Skopje, 15 July 2025 (MIA) – The Criminal Council of the Skopje-based Criminal Court has upheld an appeal by the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office and decided to replace the house arrest measure with a detention measure against the suspect identified by the initials S. Lj., who was involved in the attack on Skopje Mayor, Danela Arsovska. 

According to the Criminal Court, the decision comes after the court had assessed that there are circumstances indicating flight risk and possibility of repeating the crime, in accordance with Article 470, paragraph 1, items 1 and 2 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Court adds that the suspect has already been taken to the Skopje Prison.

The incident took place on July 11, 2025, while Mayor Arsovska and her team were conducting inspection and control of an illegal construction in Chair. 

The first suspect, identified by the initials S. Lj., presented himself as the owner of the building under construction, and began to insult and threaten the Mayor, after which he physically attacked her. When the other city employees and members of the Ministry of Interior reacted and removed the first suspect, the second suspect continued to make verbal threats. According to the Prosecutor's Office, with the act of violence, the two suspects caused a feeling of insecurity, threat, and fear in the public and among the other people present. 

The Skopje Basic Public Prosecutor's Office opened proceedings against the two suspects for the crime of "violence". A public prosecutor submitted a proposal to a pre-trial judge of the Skopje-based Criminal Court to order a detention measure against the first suspect, whereas precautionary measures were proposed against the second suspect, including ban on approaching and establishing contact with the Mayor and the other injured parties, ban on leaving the place of residence, seizure of travel document, and reporting to court authorities. 

Photo: MIA archive