North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski has drawn criticism from Serbian media outlets considered close to President Aleksandar Vučić after he publicly supported the U.S. move to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The Informer newspaper, known for its pro-Vučić and often anti-Western editorial stance, led the backlash. Its headline, translated into English, read: “North Macedonian Rag! Balkan ‘Banana States’ Celebrate Venezuela’s Fall – Montenegro Next?”, highlighting regional divisions over how Balkan countries respond to international crises.
Mucunski took to the social media platform X to welcome the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to detain Maduro and bring him before American courts, also praising U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his efforts against what he described as the “narco-criminal networks” of the Caracas government.
“ I welcome President Trump’s announcement that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested and will face justice. I also commend Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his leadership in confronting the narco-criminal networks of the Maduro regime. Accountability is important. We stand with the United States and the Venezuelan people in their struggle for freedom and democracy,” Mucunski wrote.
Critics in Serbia note that Mucunski’s statements made no mention of concerns over national sovereignty, international law, or the precedent of one country detaining the leader of another.
Historically, North Macedonia and Serbia share deep political and cultural ties dating back to the Ottoman era and the formation of Yugoslavia, though their modern relations have at times been strained by regional disputes and competing national interests.
The episode highlights broader Balkan sensitivities, where governments and media often take sharply divergent stances on U.S. foreign policy, reflecting historic rivalries, domestic politics, and alliances.