VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSQ #0517 1500554
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300554Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4724
INFO RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 4984
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 1917
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 3412
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 1658
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2068
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 4065
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3601

UNCLAS SKOPJE 000517 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: ETHNIC ALBANIANS GIVE POLICE A VOTE OF 
CONFIDENCE IN WAKE OF FATAL DRIVE-BY SHOOTING 
 
 
¶1. (U) Three ethnic Albanian youths were killed and six were 
injured after a drive-by shooting at an internet cafe in the 
Skopje municipality of Cair late May 18.  A Ministry of 
Interior (MOI) spokesman told the local press on May 22 the 
police suspect an inter-family blood feud was the motive for 
the shooting, but that the shooters mistakenly targeted the 
young victims.  MOI officials believe the shooters either 
fled to Kosovo after the incident, or are hiding in the 
nearby, predominantly eAlbanian, municipality of Aracinovo. 
 
¶2. (U) Immediately following the killing, which shocked 
Skopje residents unaccustomed to such random shootings, Cair 
municipal councilors declared a day of mourning and called on 
the MOI to increase the police presence in the municipality. 
The ethnic Albanian Mayor of Cair, a member of the governing 
coalition junior partner DUI party,  announced the city would 
hire a private security agency to help patrol the Skopje Old 
Bazaar, which falls within the Cair city limits.  On May 24, 
over one thousand people, mostly ethnic Albanians, held a 
peaceful, multi-ethnic rally in Cair, calling for an end to 
violence and for stronger curbs on private possession of 
firearms. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Comment: The predominantly ethnic Albanian Cair city 
council's call for increased MOI patrols in the wake of the 
shootings reflects growing local confidence in the police. 
An MOI contact on May 26 told us a high level of trust and 
cooperation has developed between the Cair city 
administration and the local police department, which he 
claims is one of the most operationally efficient in the 
Skopje metropolitan area.  He also pointed out that Cair has 
one of the lowest crime rates in Skopje; therefore, it is 
unlikely the MOI will increase its police presence in the 
municipality.  With parliamentary elections approaching in 
early July, we will watch to see if Cair comes to rely on 
private security services, since such groups sometimes are 
used by political parties to intimidate voters and opposing 
parties on election day.  End Comment. 
MILOVANOVIC