Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in North Macedonia today to participate in the ministerial conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) “despite the intrigues of the enemies”, said the spokeswoman of the Russian ministry Maria Zakharova.

“Sergei Lavrov arrived in North Macedonia to participate in the OSCE ministerial conference. Despite the intrigues of the enemies, we are in Skopje,” Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

Bulgaria had initially allowed Lavrov – who has been sanctioned by the West over the war in Ukraine – to pass through its airspace. However, he revoked the permission as Zakharova was also on the plane, against whom sanctions have also been imposed.

“The malicious stupidity of Russophobes resulted in the authorities banning for the first time in history not an aircraft from being in the air, but a person from being on the aircraft,” Zakharova added.

“In the official communication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria it is stated: the aircraft can fly over Bulgaria, but Maria Zakharova cannot be on it”, she complained, speaking of a “dangerous precedent”.

Yesterday, Wednesday, the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry had already accused the West of trying to prevent Sergei Lavrov from participating in the OSCE conference in Skopje, which Ukraine and the Baltic countries are boycotting due to the presence of the head of Russian diplomacy.

In 2022, Poland, which had organized the OSCE conference, had banned Lavrov from entering its territory.