Tarculovski pleaded not guilty to three counts of violations of the laws and customs of war. He is charged with murder, cruel treatment and wanton destruction committed during an attack by Macedonian police and military forces on the Albanian village of Ljuboten near Skopje on August 12, 2001 at the time of an armed conflict with members of the Albanian guerrilla group ONA.
During the attack, which lasted from August 10 to 12, 2001, the Macedonian forces killed seven Albanians, detained about 100 and ill-treated them in police stations and a hospital in Skopje, and set fire to or destroyed about 30 houses and stables.
Tarculovski was arrested by Macedonian authorities on March 14 this year, the same day they received an indictment against him and former interior minister Ljube Boskovski. He was transferred to The Hague on March 16.