An attack was carried out on the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje on Sunday, Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, describing the incident as a serious breach of diplomatic norms.

In an official statement, the ministry strongly condemned the act against the building of Bulgaria’s diplomatic mission in North Macedonia, stressing that the embassy is a symbol of Bulgarian statehood and the country’s official presence in Skopje. According to Sofia, the incident constitutes an unacceptable encroachment on the status of a diplomatic mission and represents a grave violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry expressed particular concern that the attack was not an isolated case, but rather the result of a long-standing lack of effective response by North Macedonian institutions to previous acts of vandalism and assaults targeting Bulgarian-related sites and members of the Bulgarian community. According to the ministry, this institutional inaction, combined with tolerated or even encouraged hate speech against Bulgaria and Bulgarians, has contributed to an atmosphere in which such criminal actions are emboldened and escalate.

Sofia called on the competent authorities in North Macedonia to take immediate and decisive steps to identify the perpetrator and ensure full criminal accountability. The ministry also insisted on concrete guarantees for the safety of Bulgarian diplomatic and consular missions, their staff, and property. Bulgaria expects the authorities in Skopje to clearly distance themselves from manifestations of hatred, actively counter such crimes, work toward a fundamentally different public narrative in bilateral relations, and fully comply with their international obligations. The Foreign Ministry added that it is closely monitoring developments and reserves the right to take further measures to protect Bulgarian interests.

The reaction from North Macedonian authorities followed shortly afterward. In a statement published on Facebook, the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed damage to the glass of the entrance door of the Bulgarian Embassy. According to the police account, the embassy’s security officer noticed the damage via video surveillance. Preliminary findings indicate that an unidentified individual struck the glass door with his hand, causing the damage. Police units were dispatched to the scene, and investigative actions are under way to establish all circumstances surrounding the incident.

Further details were provided by Bulgaria’s Ambassador to North Macedonia, Zhelyazko Radukov, who told the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) that the attack took place at around 12:20 p.m. Security cameras captured a person deliberately approaching the embassy entrance carrying a heavy, sharp object, striking the reinforced glass panel and then retreating. The door is fitted with double-layered protective glass, and only the outer layer was damaged, which the ambassador believes likely prevented further escalation.

Ambassador Radukov linked the incident to a broader climate of hostility fueled by persistent hate speech and distorted narratives concerning Bulgaria. He noted that such rhetoric widens the pool of potential perpetrators and, when combined with a lack of effective punishment for previous attacks, creates a sense of impunity. According to him, earlier incidents involving attacks on Bulgarians, including shootings and an axe assault, have either not led to proper prosecutions or resulted in penalties so mild that they undermine any preventive effect.

While embassy staff are aware of the risks associated with their diplomatic posting, Radukov emphasized that his main concern lies with members of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia, who do not enjoy the same level of protection. He warned that the absence of accountability sends a dangerous signal that such behavior carries no real consequences, thereby encouraging further acts of violence or vandalism.

The incident coincided with the marking in Skopje of the 98th anniversary of the death of Mara Buneva, a Macedonian Bulgarian historical figure. On that day, citizens laid flowers at the memorial plaque commemorating her actions in 1928, a context that has previously been associated with heightened tensions.

Sources:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• BGNES
• BNT