Tit-for-tat: Russia expels North Macedonia’s diplomat

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Moscow expelled on Thursday Skopje's embassy attache in retaliation for North Macedonia's move to declare a Russian diplomat Persona Non-Grata last month.

Skopje’s Foreign Ministry said its acting ambassador to Russia Olivera Causevska-Dimovska was summoned to the Russin Foreign Ministry and told her country attache was declared Persona Non-Grata.

North Macedonia’s Ministry said it regretted the move describing it as an „unfounded political decision based on political revenge, which will negatively affect bilateral relations.“

Skopje expelled a Russian diplomat in mid-May, saying he was dealing „with undiplomatic issues,“ and Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said he hoped Moscow would not retaliate and reduce North Macedonia’s embassy to a single person.

In 2018, Skopje also expelled a Russian diplomat in solidarity with the UK, NATO and EU over a former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal poisoning.