US plans to counter Russian 'malicious influence' in North Macedonia

The authors of the new strategy for developing US-North Macedonia relations see the coming years as a critical period for maintaining North Macedonia's trajectory towards full stability as a democracy oriented towards the West.

“The US Mission to North Macedonia will promote the full integration of the country into Western and Euro-Atlantic institutions and practices as the best way to consolidate critical reforms;

thus, integration will be a key priority for the mission in Skopje,” the document emphasizes.

However, according to the authors of the report, the Euro-Atlantic course of the countries of the Western Balkans is allegedly hindered by Moscow and Beijing.

“Malignant foreign influences – including the governments of Russia and the People’s Republic of China – are actively opposing the Western integration of the region, spreading disinformation and exploiting existing vulnerabilities to divert the states of the Western Balkans from their democratically chosen path while strengthening their economic and political presence in Europe," State Department officials say.

In this regard, the US intends to work with the government and civil society of North Macedonia to strengthen the region's resilience to outside influences.  

Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies, in an interview with RT, noted that the United States expects to subjugate local authorities to reduce the influence of other players in the region.

“Their approach (Washington. -

) is that the more the local elite is subordinate to them, the less the influence of everyone else is there - this is the best option.

Let's remember that North Macedonia's accession to NATO was preceded by a political crisis, which was provoked by the West itself and removed from power a government that was more confident.

Therefore, everything that is written and done about this in Washington has one scenario: we should be there, and everyone else should not be there, ”Bruter concluded.

The head of the Center for the Study of the Modern Balkan Crisis of the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a member of the Senate of the Republic of Srpska, Elena Guskova, in a conversation with RT, suggested that the fears of American experts are related to the strengthening of the "Russian factor" in the region.

“Today, if America intends to further increase its influence in the Balkans, then, of course, they must eliminate the strengthening of the “Russian factor”.

They use different methods.

This is work through the media, through their diplomats and through the publication of various types of programs that denigrate Russia, ”the expert noted.

According to her, it has become a pan-European tradition to eliminate any "dependence" on Russia, even if it is contrary to one's own interests.

Earlier, the State Department planned to launch a "US Speakers Program" in North Macedonia.

The initiative was supposed to draw the attention of leaders and local audiences to the problems of the judiciary, the work of the government, "modern journalistic practice" and "the fight against disinformation."