North Macedonia Expels Second Russian Diplomat This Year

North Macedonia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday indirectly confirmed the expulsion of a Russian diplomat, after media reported that a Russian deputy military attaché was told to leave the country last week.

"The Foreign Affairs Ministry, within its competencies, 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 ministry told the 360 Degrees news website in response to a request to confirm the expulsion.

The revelation came after news website Almakos cited unspecified sources in the Foreign Ministry on Monday as saying that the Russian diplomat in Skopje was expelled last Wednesday.

The site quoted sources as saying that the diplomat was a Russian deputy military attaché who was expelled after allegedly "inappropriate" diplomatic activities.

North Macedonia's Foreign Ministry did not disclose any more information about the identity of the diplomat or the particular reason for the expulsion.

In May, another Russian diplomat was expelled from North Macedonia in unclear circumstances. The Foreign Ministry that the diplomat had not adhered to the expected diplomatic conduct.

At the time, North Macedonia's President Stevo Pendarovski said that from what he had seen, the case for expulsion has been well documented and substantiated.

The Russian Foreign Ministry deemed the move a hostile act by North Macedonia, and in June, it expelled one staffer from Skopje's mission to Moscow.

The expulsion of the Russian in May coincided with similar moves by several other European...