SKOPJE, Macedonia – On Thursday, four former members of North Macedonia’s conservative VMRO-DPMNE party were released following the overturning of their convictions tied to a violent incident at the nation’s parliament in 2017.
A court in Skopje determined that an amnesty law enacted in 2018 was applicable to their case, leading to their release.

The events under scrutiny occurred in April 2017 when approximately 200 demonstrators stormed the parliament building in response to the appointment of an ethnic Albanian speaker and proposed coalition government.
During this upheaval, many individuals, including lawmakers and members of the press, suffered injuries as chaos erupted within the parliamentary halls.

The officials who were set free include Trajko Veljanovski, a former speaker of parliament, along with ex-Cabinet ministers Spiro Ristovski and Mile Janakieski, and Vladimir Atanasovski, who previously led the national security office.
After being convicted in 2021, these individuals faced prison sentences ranging from six to six-and-a-half years for their roles in undermining the country’s constitutional order and security.

The violent attack on the parliament stands out as one of the most significant threats to North Macedonia’s political stability since it achieved independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
In the aftermath of the incident, ongoing trials and legal challenges have exacerbated political tensions, with critics expressing concerns that the government has exploited amnesty laws to protect influential individuals from facing justice.

The VMRO-DPMNE party has regained governmental power after securing victories in both the parliamentary and presidential elections last year, marking a return after a seven-year hiatus from governance.