Monday. (March 26, 2001)
The VICTORY
In a way. The KLA terrorists, were scattered all around the hills, without any organized support. On the KALE hill above Tetovo, (the most strategic place), up on the fortress there was the Macedonian flag, waving once again. However, the information that we had on the spot was not good at all. Some other places along the northern Macedonian border, were being targeted and attacked by the KLA terrorists. The fight was still going on. We tried to go up to the hills but we were not allowed. The risk of the land mines were too high, as well as the snipers. The villages nestled in the back of the mountain were still full of terrorists, and anything was possible.

Tuesday. (March 27, 2001)
Safari Day
At about 12.30pm, we were promised to be taken up on the hills, at the fortress above Tetovo, the place of the strongest resistance, the hardest and the most strategic place for this area. Once a tourist attraction, now a bullet and grenade magnet. So around 400 journalists, reporters, photographers and camera people, mostly foreign, escorted by the Army and The Police, went to the fortress of Kale, 400m above Tetovo. The place was in a mess, grenade holes, trenches, blankets and left over food. Some medical supplies, and a lot of bullet shells. The Army and The Police had cleaned the place the previous day, but the danger of the land mines was still present. 400 curious reporters were hanging around, taking photographs, having fun, a sort of picnic for them. Didn't like what I saw. All those people were being paid a great fee and were distorting the truth, while we risked our lives to tell the truth. They are not interested in truth, only in getting a great shot and the bonus that they would get out of it. A real successful Safari for them. That was my last day in Tetovo, my friends. I've decided not to go anymore. Now the place is full of opportunists, adventurers and all kinds of film makers and story tellers. What kind of story they will tell, I do not want to know.
The fight is still on, but deeper in the mountains, unreachable by the press. Maybe it is better that way. All those people forgot that they are here to tell the truth. Only a few of them did that.

Take care,
Marko.

The view from the top of the fortress overlooking Tetovo.	Macedonian security officer overlooking the villages in Tetovo area.	Abandoned KLA trench above Tetovo.
Interior of the Tetovo fortress, temporary hideout of the KLA terrorists.	The church behind the fortress.	The interior of the church was damaged by the KLA.
Reporters looking for sensations.	Grenade hole near the fort.	Grenaded house on the hill.

Photos/text by Marko Georgiev, editing by Filip Stojanovski & Macedonia Search