American soldiers in Salonika (April '99)

Skopje, 21, April 1999. - Residents of the village Kuceviste, on the slopes of Skopje`s Black Mountain, stoned four French vehicles, members of NATO, burned one of them and injured two soldiers, Major Erik Mongnot, the spokesman of the Western Alliance in Skopje confirmed today.

The stoning took place yesterday, when farmers, furious at uninvited guests who disturb them and destroy planted fields, "welcomed" NATO convoy, demanding that they leave the place at once.

French soldiers in four vehicles, not knowing what they were dealing with, didn't take the warning seriously. They came to their senses when the stones were thrown on them.

Frightened Clinton`s "elite soldiers" fled off the battle ground without resistance, leaving the most demaged vehicle behind which the farmers then set on fire. Six soldiers were lightly injured, two were hospitalized, bruised by stones.

Mongnot, confirming that the NATO soldiers barely saved themselves in the conflict with barehanded Macedonian farmers, observed that "there is no reason to get upset", giving the credit to the local police for the excellent cooperation. Obviously, he forgot that Macedonian Police had the conflict with NATO troops on Skopje`s Black Mountain, a few days ago, who would have been beaten up if they hadn`t retreated.

The Mayor of Cucer Sandovo, Vojislav Kirandzic, whose territory includes the village Kuceviste, said today that the citizens of Skopje`s Black Mountain were daily exposed to the most primitive provocations of the NATO troops.

The local population, in particular women and children, are constantly terrorized by the primitive troops, who threaten them and swear at everything that represented Serbs, since they know ethnic Serbs are the majority population on this mountain, Karadzic said.

The Mayor said that he had unsuccessfully tried to get in contact with the NATO headquarters in Skopje. They said they do not want to cooperate with the organs of local self-governance.

Women had been prominent among the attackers on the convoy. The women villagers were very fierce in hurling stones and they rarely missed.

Macedonian Police started the investigation on the incident, inviting the farmers to "informative talks" but it issued no statement so far.