The Appellate Court Skopje will convene a public session today and tomorrow, starting at 9 a.m., to review the “Laskarci” case, concerning the 2019 bus accident that resulted in 16 fatalities and over 30 injuries. Following the initial verdict last year, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office Skopje appealed the decision to the Appellate Court Skopje.

The initial verdict found the defendants guilty, resulting in a total of 39 years of imprisonment. Durmish Beluli, owner of “Durmo Tours”, received a four-year sentence, while Remzi Miftari, responsible for transport within the company, was sentenced to six years. Igor Gjorgjievski, Goran Dukovski, and Jane Bovarovski, the three employees at the technical inspection station, each received five-year sentences for their complicity. Manoil Trifunovski, the bus driver, received the longest sentence of 14 years. All defendants were also barred from practicing their professions for five years.

The verdict stated that Durmish Beluli and Remzi Miftari failed to adhere to safety regulations by allowing a technically defective bus to operate, endangering passenger lives. Igor Gjorgjievski, Goran Dukovski, and Jane Bovarovski permitted the bus to pass technical inspection despite existing defects. The driver, Manoil Trifunovski, aware of the vehicle’s defects, drove the bus with 55 passengers and crashed into a metal fence due to negligence.

The trial in the Basic Criminal Court Skopje was presided over by Judge Diana Gruevska Ilievska, with prosecutor Darko Jakimovski representing the prosecution.

Prosecutor Jakimovski is seeking increased sentences and longer professional bans for Durmish Beluli, Remzi Miftari, Igor Gjorgjievski, and Goran Dukovski, arguing that the initial sentences were insufficient despite the court’s correct assessment of the facts.

The Prosecutor’s Office considers the driver Manoil Trifunovski’s sentence appropriate due to his significant responsibility and lack of remorse. They also believe the sentence for Jane Bovarovski, whose contribution to the accident was minimal, is sufficient.