Pacifying tones, condemnation for the radical groups stoking up interethnic tension as well as severe criticism of the institutions and their interpretation of the murder constitute the echo to the recent incident in Gostivar when a police officer off duty killed two men.

The situation in Gostivar is tense. There is heavier police security in streets put on high alert. Even those who had taken days off were summoned to work, as members of the rapid deployment unit can be seen at places too. Fortunately, by Wednesday afternoon, no police intervention had been registered.

“We are going to do all in our power to calm the atmosphere and prevent anything undesired from happening,” said Ivo Kotevski, Assistant Interior Minister.