North Macedonia’s Prime Minister, Hristijan Mickoski, dismissed the assault on Bulgarian journalist Vladimir Perev as an act of self-inflicted harm, suggesting the incident was being manipulated for political purposes, BGNES reported.

Further reading: Eighty-Year-Old Bulgarian Journalist Attacked in Skopje Amid Rising Anti-Bulgarian Hostility

Perev was attacked on November 21 inside a shop in central Skopje, in front of multiple witnesses, and the case was formally registered with the police. Despite this, the Prime Minister argued that the situation was being exaggerated and framed as something it was not.

He compared the incident to someone getting wet in the rain and later presenting it as evidence of a coordinated hybrid attack allegedly directed by the government to derail the country’s integration efforts. According to him, if an individual chooses to injure themselves and claim it was an assault, that is a separate matter entirely. He also noted that fabrications and political “engineering” were nothing new, saying his administration was accustomed to similar tactics. After consultations the previous day, he insisted there had been no attack against Perev at all.

Witnesses said the assault included ethnic insults targeting Perev’s Bulgarian identity, adding a further dimension to the incident.

Sofia reacted sharply. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as another act of aggression against Bulgarian-identifying citizens in North Macedonia. The ministry urged Skopje’s authorities to launch a swift and thorough investigation and ensure those responsible face appropriate consequences.