After journalist Vladimir Perev reported that he had been attacked in the North Macedonian capital Skopje, on the air of "Hello, Bulgaria" he suggested that it was a deliberate provocation. The 80-year-old Bulgarian said that the incident occurred in a store while he was waiting in line, a man hit him in the face and broke his glasses.
"The lens of my glasses was broken, the attacker wanted to take them off my head, there was also an attempt to hit me. Verbal aggression was exercised by a complete stranger. The man said "we will shoot you Bulgarians, go to Bulgaria" and called on us not to mention and not to identify with the Macedonians, he spoke words at a very primitive level. The attacker was about 40 years old, heavier than me, but I tried to resist. Then he started saying that I had attacked him and had shown aggression against him. That's why I doubted that it was an order or a staged act, a provocation. To find who he was and take him to national television, so that the world would understand what the North Macedonians think and what their policy is", Perev urged.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically condemned "another act of hate violence against a Bulgarian in the Republic of North Macedonia".
"The Foreign Ministry is trying to resolve the problem between the two countries. Hatred is already visible at every step, in establishments, on the streets, there are many cases of aggression. "Bulgaria must fight back, find a solution and make a program for action in the future," believes Perev.