Newly minted NATO member North Macedonia has expelled its second Russian diplomat this year, Balkan media reported and Moscow confirmed Tuesday.
Citing unnamed foreign ministry sources, the Almakos news website said Monday that the Russian diplomat, an unidentified deputy military attaché, was expelled last Wednesday.
According to the Balkan Insight, North Macedonia’s foreign ministry said it is “taking all appropriate measures and activities in accordance with the Vienna Convention for diplomatic relations in order to protect the national security of the Republic of North Macedonia as well as to protect the role and responsibility of the country as a member of the NATO alliance.”
The former Yugoslav republic of North Macedonia joined the U.S.-led NATO military alliance last year in the face of opposition from Moscow.
North Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani confirmed the Russian diplomat’s expulsion Tuesday, according to the Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
Russia’s diplomatic mission in Skopje, which also did not disclose the expelled military attaché’s identity, said the diplomat had left North Macedonia 10 days before he was declared persona non grata.
The Russian mission said it was considering retaliatory steps, RIA Novosti reported.
Moscow previously took tit-for-tat measures following North Macedonia’s expulsion of a Russian diplomat in May.
That expulsion from Skopje came in solidarity with the Czech Republic accusing Russia of involvement in deadly 2014 arms depot explosions that sparked a bitter diplomatic crisis between Prague and Moscow.
The Kremlin denied the claims and added the Czech Republic to its list of “unfriendly countries,” which also includes the United States.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
