Edit“Unacceptable assault” at Bulgarian embassy in Skopje sparks new diplomatic tensions
Sofia demanded punishment for the brazen act, while Skopje assured that an investigation into the incident was underway
New tensions have flared between EU candidate North Macedonia and its EU neighbor Bulgaria following a brazen act of vandalism at the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje on 11 January.
An unidentified individual approached the embassy building, struck the glass front door with a forceful blow from his hand, and fled, leaving the entrance visibly damaged. Security cameras captured the entire incident, which the Bulgarian authorities quickly publicized along with photos of the shattered glass.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly condemned the incident as an unacceptable assault on a diplomatic mission, which represents a symbol of Bulgarian statehood and official presence in the Republic of North Macedonia. Sofia described the act as a gross violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.
The embassy promptly notified North Macedonian authorities and shared photos and video of the incident on its official Facebook page, highlighting a pattern: “Unpunished hate speech has consequences! Unpunished attacks against Bulgarian associations have consequences!”
The post emphasised that ongoing impunity for earlier incidents encourages further escalation. Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry expressed deep concern that this “brazen” act stems from systematic institutional inaction in North Macedonia toward previous attacks on Bulgarian-related sites and the local Bulgarian community. It pointed to a toxic environment fostered by tolerated – or even incited, hate speech against Bulgaria and Bulgarians, which has allowed such criminal behavior to intensify.
Sofia demanded immediate steps from Skopje’s competent authorities to identify and prosecute the perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law, while ensuring enhanced security for Bulgarian diplomatic missions, staff, and property. The ministry further called for a clear public distancing from hatred, effective countermeasures against such crimes, and a deliberate shift toward a positive public narrative on bilateral relations. Bulgaria affirmed it would closely monitor the case and reserved the right to additional measures in defense of its interests.
North Macedonia’s ministry of interior confirmed the damage to the glass entrance door, noting that the embassy’s security officer detected it via cameras. Police responded quickly, launching an investigation to clarify circumstances and identify the assailant.
These tensions unfold against a backdrop of hostile acts against Bulgaria in North Macedonia. Bulgaria has consistently linked North Macedonia’s EU accession progress to the protection of its Bulgarian minority and fulfillment of bilateral commitments. A key requirement for Skopje, reiterated in the latest European Commission Enlargement Report and rooted in the EU Council Conclusions of July 2022, is the adoption of an amendments explicitly recognising Bulgarians among the country’s communities as listed in the constitution. The 2017 Friendship Treaty and subsequent protocols further oblige Skopje to curb anti-Bulgarian hate speech, rehabilitate victims of past repression, and open communist-time archives.
Recent incidents underscore Sofia’s concerns. In November 2025, 80-year-old journalist and prominent Bulgarian community figure Vladimir Perev was assaulted in a Skopje shop. The attacker struck him repeatedly in the face, breaking his glasses, while hurling threats and ethnic slurs: “You Bulgarians, go to Bulgaria… If I ever hear you speak of a Macedonian… I will kill you.” Perev reported the hate-motivated attack to police, and Bulgaria’s foreign ministry condemned it as part of a troubling trend fueled by anti-Bulgarian rhetoric. The case prompted parliamentary condemnation in Sofia and highlighted the need for effective hate crime responses.
Earlier episodes include the severe beating of Hristiyan Pendikov, secretary of the Bulgarian cultural club “Tsar Boris III” in Ohrid, in early 2023, which led to his evacuation for treatment in Bulgaria. In June 2024, Lyupcho Georgievski, chairman of the now-closed “Ivan Mihailov” cultural club in Bitola, received a suspended sentence on charges Bulgaria viewed as politically motivated against Bulgarian self-identification.
Bulgarian associations in North Macedonia, such as the Macedonian-Bulgarian Friendship Association and Balkan Bridge in Bitola, swiftly condemned the embassy vandalism, calling for urgent action against violence targeting diplomatic symbols of dialogue and cooperation. They expressed solidarity with the embassy staff and reaffirmed commitment to building bridges of friendship, understanding, and cultural ties in line with European values.
The refusal of North Macedonia’s ruling VMRO-DPMNE to advance the required constitutional changes has stalled progress toward opening EU negotiation clusters. Each new incident reinforces Sofia’s position that Skopje’s public commitments to democratic reforms and good-neighborly relations do not match the lived reality for citizens identifying as Bulgarian.
Sources: Press releases of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia, BTA
Yet another assault on a Bulgarian in North Macedonia heightens tensions
Caption: An unidentified individual approached the embassy building, struck the glass front door with a forceful blow from his hand, and fled, leaving the entrance visibly damaged. (Embassy of Bulgaria in Skopje)
Updated: January 12, 2026 - 12:50
