(ANSA) - SKOPJE - Tensions are growing again in Kumanovo, the town in northern Macedonia that last weekend was hit by a terrible terror attack, when armed men killed 22 people and injured another 37 people. At night the city is cut off and heavily guarded by police. There are growing fears of new terror attacks, but it seems that the restrictive measures are to be connected to a police raid to track down one of the attackers arrested in recent days, who managed to escape from custody in the village of Brest.

These tensions in Kumanovo are growing while the ongoing political crisis that has paralyzed Macedonia for months is worsening: the most serious crisis since independence, in 1991. While daily demonstrations are going on, against the government accused of unlawful wiretapping, yesterday the leaders of the four main political parties, pushed by international representatives, met yesterday in Skopje to start a new dialogue, aiming to break the deadlock and put Macedonia again on the path towards EU integration. A huge popular demonstration against the government is scheduled for Sunday in Skopje. (ANSA).