site.btaNorth Macedonia’s Prosecuting Magistracy Open Case over Damage to Bulgarian Embassy Entrance in Skopje

The prosecuting magistracy in North Macedonia has opened proceedings against a 55-year-old man suspected of damaging the glass of the entrance door of the Embassy of Bulgaria in Skopje.

The prosecutor has proposed that the pre-trial judge impose a preventive measure on the suspect, citing circumstances indicating a risk of flight as well as concerns that the suspect could repeat the offence.

On Monday, police in North Macedonia reported that they had arrested a 54-year-old man, identified as Sh. A., who, according to the statement, “damaged the glass of the entrance door of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Skopje”.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the incident as "an unacceptable violation of the status of a diplomatic mission and a gross breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations". The Ministry insisted that the competent authorities in North Macedonia take all necessary steps to identify the perpetrator, hold him fully criminally liable, and guarantee the security of Bulgarian diplomatic and consular missions, their staff and property.

On its official Facebook page, the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje published video footage from its security cameras showing the incident.

North Macedonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade also condemned the incident, stating that "individual acts of vandalism of this kind are unacceptable and contrary to the principles of international law and the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations".