Two cars belonging to the Embassy of Bulgaria in Skopje were set on fire on Monday outside the diplomatic mission, according to the Interior Ministry of North Macedonia. No injuries were reported.
Police stated that the fire broke out at 12:13 p.m. local time in two passenger vehicles parked in front of the embassy.
The government of North Macedonia condemned the act, calling it “vandalism.” Such actions undermine security principles, diplomatic relations, and international laws, and have no place in a democratic society, it said.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the incident as a “demonstrative and aggressive act” and demanded swift and transparent prosecution, asserting that it stems from “hostile political rhetoric.”
Relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia have been strained in recent years due to demands by Sofia, tied to North Macedonia’s EU accession talks, which effectively stalled the process.
A major point of contention is Bulgaria’s refusal to recognise the Macedonian language as independent, claiming it is a dialect of Bulgarian. The two countries also dispute historical figures and shared heritage dating back to the Ottoman Empire.
One condition for advancing EU negotiations is amending the North Macedonian Constitution to include the Bulgarian minority.
