Local elections in North Macedonia have exposed traces of Russian influence through rhetoric and activities by several marginal political actors, raising concerns about foreign manipulation of information, according to RFE analysis.
Aside from the openly pro-Russian party United Macedonia, led by Janko Bačev, which advocates closer ties with Moscow and opposes Euro-Atlantic integration, a handful of minor parties and figures with links to Russia are active in the municipal races.
Bačev’s party, named after Russia’s ruling United Russia, has never won a seat in parliament but is running candidates in 29 of the country’s 80 municipalities. Its Skopje mayoral candidate, Zoran Jovanovski, has pledged to twin the Macedonian capital with Moscow, citing contacts with “15 Russian, Chinese, and Belarusian investors” interested in local projects.
Jovanovski has also spoken of building a monument to Russian consul Aleksandr Arkadyevich Rostkovski, killed in 1903, and said he hopes “U.S. President Donald Trump will help end the war in Ukraine so that Moscow can achieve its geopolitical goals.”
The minor Rodina party, running under the slogan “Think globally, act traditionally,” also promotes pro-Russian and anti-Western narratives. Its candidates warn against “comedian leaders” in reference to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Analysts say that while these parties remain electorally insignificant, their messaging helps Moscow maintain ideological proxies within North Macedonia’s political scene.
“Their influence is limited, but not without risk,” said Despina Kovačevska of the Metamorphosis Foundation, which monitors media coverage. “Some candidates and even church representatives echo Kremlin narratives about losing sovereignty by joining the EU — a key disinformation tactic identified by EUvsDisinfo.”
An interim report by the OSCE/ODIHR mission, released on Oct. 3, warned that low media literacy makes the public more vulnerable to misinformation amplified on social media during the campaign.
“For several actors, potential foreign manipulation of information during the electoral process is also a reason for concern,” the report said.
Political analyst Xhelal Neziri noted that such rhetoric is unlikely to shape public opinion in local races but may serve broader strategic goals.
“These narratives are laying groundwork for the next parliamentary elections,” Neziri told RFE. “The campaign is often masked by geopolitical themes that distract from local issues but align with the agendas of external actors.”
Support for EU membership in North Macedonia remains high, with 61% of citizens backing accession, according to the Institute for Political Research (IPIS).
Among parliamentary parties, only Levica maintains open sympathy toward Moscow. Its leader, Dimitar Apasiev, attended Russia’s Victory Day parade in May at the invitation of Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov, where he said his party “defends anti-fascist values and opposes historical revisionism.”
Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Stoiljkovic, head of the Democratic Party of Serbs and a coalition partner of VMRO-DPMNE, also maintains close ties with Russian officials and recently laid flowers at a WWII memorial in Skopje alongside Russia’s ambassador.
Analyst Neziri warned that such “soft power” efforts aim to normalize Russian influence in Macedonian politics.
“Russia is building a base for future political activity,” he said. “The soft-power narrative is already present — subtle, but strategic.”