Bulgarian Journalist Attacked in Skopje, MFA Condemns Incident as Act of Hate Violence

In Skopje, journalist and long-standing activist of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia, Vladimir Perev, was reportedly subjected to both verbal and physical assault. Perev himself reported the incident in a post on the Tribuna website.

According to the 80-year-old, the attack took place in a shop in the Macedonian capital, where a “young and strong man” in the queue made insulting remarks on ethnic grounds and punched him in the face, breaking his glasses. Perev also cited threats and hate speech directed at him, including calls for “Bulgarians to go back to Bulgaria.”

Perev has filed a police report, and the case has been officially registered with the law enforcement authorities.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed it is in constant contact with Perev. Bulgaria’s diplomatic mission in Skopje has provided support since the moment of the incident, and Minister Georg Georgiev personally spoke to him by phone, stressing that Bulgaria will continue to stand by him during this difficult time.

In an official statement, the MFA strongly condemned the “latest act of hate-motivated violence against a Bulgarian in North Macedonia,” noting that such incidents are fueled by the prevailing socio-political climate and anti-Bulgarian rhetoric.

The ministry emphasised that Perev’s concerns have been carefully reviewed and highlighted that the case represents a key test of North Macedonia’s law enforcement response to hate crimes. Sofia expects Macedonian authorities to take timely and effective action to investigate the incident and ensure justice.

The statement also recalled that North Macedonia’s European path requires full compliance with the 2022 European compromise, including the protection of the rights of the Bulgarian community and respecting common European values.