President charges Moscow with intervention in northern Macedonia

He accused Moscow of interfering with his country's internal affairs through funding “several political subjects”.

The head of state did not disclose names, but said “is referring to several subjects that are in direct conglomeration with Moscow in recent years”.

While politically articulating in institutions, it is good and democratic. But I have to say that it is really surprising that a few days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, EE Majta) invited the Russian ambassador to the Assembly and rewarded him for his contribution to bilateral relations, which is unprecedented. This has not happened in any European Parliament”, President Pendarovski said.

“E Majta” (Levica) is the Macedonian opposition party, which is led by Dimitar Asasiev, while represented by two deputies in the Northern Macedonia Assembly. It is one of the most vocal parties against the agreement with Bulgaria on language and identity issues, while it was also against the Agreement with Greece on changing the name of the state.

He did not specify whether this political party is financed by Moscow, while also raising concerns about the activities of Russian agents, who according to him enter northern Macedonia by neighbouring states.

“I cannot openly find out where exactly where they come from, because these are sensitive information, but the Russians are trying to influence even through those threats called modern hybrid”, Pendarovski stressed, not to mention names of states or what specific activities these structures are taken.

Radio Free Europe has requested answers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if there is information on the activities of foreign agents, but has not received answers to publishing this text.

Meanwhile, regarding President Stevo Pendarovski's claims, the “party has reacted E May”, which is indirectly mentioned as close to Russian politics.

MP Branislav Krov has told Radio Free Europe that institutions should investigate whether “E Majta” is financed by Russia or whether there is any link to Moscow politics.

The “is symptoms and ironic that people who have built a career with foreign money now accuse you of outside influence or external financial exploitation. The situation is clear, financing political parties with money from abroad represents criminal offence”.

If they have free evidence let them investigate everything, if not then let them end the slander and spread of lies in opinion”, Krov said, rejecting even the president's claims about meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergei Baznik, and sharing an appreciation immediately after Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Before meeting with the Russian ambassador, we met two other ambassadors -- France and Croatia -- these EU members. In this case, can we talk about the effects of EU states? We haven't invited any ambassador, we respond to their calls for meetings and all are held in the space of the Parliament. We'll meet with the American ambassador if she wants a meeting with us. They're protocol meetings. As far as the gift is concerned, we, with all of whom we have met, have shared a coin with our hero's figure, Goce Delchev, on the occasion of his 150th birthday”, Krov has expressed.

Regarding the claims of President Pendarovski, Nano Ruzhin, former North Macedonia ambassador to NATO, says Russia has already shown interest in boosting its influence in the region. That, according to him, is due to geostrategic importance, since Northern Macedonia, according to him, extends between Corridors 8 and 10, so it is also of interest to great powers.

However, today's effects are not the same as in the time of the Cold War. Today's effects may be with soft power through different propaganda, church building, investing in the popularity of culture, art, language, history. So we have to be willing to face these impacts, even through social networks. Its goal is to increase influence on public opinion and orientation towards Moscow. So, we can talk about impacts, but not too much panic, but it needs to be taken care of”, Ruzhin says Radio Free Europe.

As for the president's statement that competent organs have information about those who may be involved in recent protests, Ruzhin points out:

There are probably people, individuals who are paid, just as there are everywhere in the world. Intelligence services must do their job. I believe they have information that is classified, that cannot be available to citizens”.

But when the president says that, then surely there is something that might disturb us, but not cause panic and demand for enemy everywhere. This, because there are people who have respect for the Russian people and we cannot all count as citizens working for the Russian cause. There are people who respect Russian culture, but that doesn't mean they're all with Putin and they reason on the intervention in Ukraine”.

Northern Macedonia this year has expelled 11 Russian diplomats, arguing that “were conducting activities that are contrary to Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”.

Moscow has also retaliated by driving Macedonian diplomats out of its embassy in Russia, as well as placing northern Macedonia on the list of enemy states.

Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Sergey Lavrov, had recently declared that the <x0mosphere of the Macedonian people is against the Euro-Atlantic course of political elite”, but this statement by Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski has been praised as provocative and part of Russian propaganda.