According to statements of witnesses, Skopje businessman Spiro Corogunov beat up Branko Petrovski yesterday at around 1.00 pm in the city centre of Skopje. Corogunov is the owner of hotels “Alexandar Square” and “Alexandar 2” in the center of Skopje, the construction firm “Karaorman” and several other businesses. Right next to Corogunov’s hotel “Alexandar 2” is Petrovski’s small exchange office and his café “Garson”, known for years as a favourite gathering spot of young artists, journalists and citizen activists. Corogunov attacked Petrovski right next to hotel “Alexandar 2”, built last year, after having blocked his way and demanding Petrovski to remove the sign of his exchange office placed there 19 years ago. After Petrovski had asked him nicely to let him continue on his way, Corogunov attacked him with punches, knocked him to the ground and continued to hit him strongly in the area of the face. The consequences of this attack are visible, a broken jaw and a serious injury to Petrovski’s left eye.

Last night Petrovski was not hospitalized because there were no available rooms neither in the City Hospital nor the State Clinical Center, even though his family requested this as his nose was bleeding heavily and he could not fall asleep from the pain and from suffocating in his own blood.

The neighbourhood is extremely distressed and shaken from this difficult incident. They know Petrovski as a calm, quiet and good neighbour, who recently had successfully battled cancer. Because of the chemotherapy and the medications he is still receiving, he was physically unable to defend himself from the fierce attack. Immediately after the attack, Corogunov had told him that he was sorry he had not killed him.

The police, according to unofficial information, had detained Corogunov, though he had objected the arrest because he had been getting ready to go to a wedding. At this moment, it is unknown whether the attacker is in custody or was at a wedding last night.