Veteran journalist and columnist Vladimir Perev says he was verbally and physically attacked on Monday evening inside a neighborhood grocery store, in an incident he describes as “deeply humiliating” and fuelled by nationalist hostility.

According to Perev, the assault occurred in the late afternoon, as the 80-year-old journalist was shopping for household essentials. In a written account shared with the press, he states that a man in his forties stepped out of a checkout line, turned toward him and began shouting abuse and threats. Perev alleges that the man directed slurs at him and warned him to “go back to Bulgaria,” threatening violence if Perev “ever again” identified himself or spoke about being Macedonian.

Perev says the man then approached him, struck him and broke his eyeglasses, while other shoppers remained silent. “He was young and strong, and I am eighty,” Perev wrote. Perev says he eventually tried to defend himself with his umbrella, at which point, according to his account, the man began shouting that he was being attacked.

Two younger customers then intervened, telling the aggressor to stop shouting and to leave, Perev reports. The assailant then collected his purchases and exited the store.

Perev subsequently reported the incident to officers at the “Beko” police station in Skopje. He says he provided a detailed statement to a police official, who, he adds, listened sympathetically.

Says Attacker “Recognized” Him From Journalistic Work

Perev writes that he has never met the alleged aggressor before, and believes the man recognized him from his published columns and television appearances. Perev is a long-time journalist and commentator, and his articles frequently address the rights of the Bulgarian community in North Macedonia, as well as broader human-rights topics.

He asserts that the attack did not feel spontaneous, suggesting the possibility of a planned provocation, though he cautions that he does not want to fall into “conspiracy theories”.

Reflections on Hate and Nationalism

In his account, written “calmly and with a cool head,” Perev reflects on what he views as the persistence of anti-Bulgarian sentiment within parts of Macedonian society. He writes that such hostility, in his view, has historical roots but should have long since been overcome. He also criticizes what he describes as nationalist rhetoric from political leaders and its impact on social attitudes.

Diplomatic Contact and Support

Perev says he has been in contact with the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje and was offered legal assistance. According to his statement, Bulgaria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georg Georgiev, contacted him personally to express sympathy and readiness to support him institutionally.

Perev notes that many citizens do not have such connections and writes that he is sharing his account “for them as well.”

Calls Incident a Test for Institutions

Perev frames the incident as a test for the police and security services, and a reflection of the broader state of human rights in the country.

He says he was left with broken eyeglasses and a damaged sense of dignity. “The glasses I can fix,” he writes. “But the dignity will be much harder.”