Troll of the Month: Petar Bogojeski, leader of the Macedonian Concept party

The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkan region.

The appointment of Petar Bogojeski, leader of the Macedonian Concept party – a small right-wing party – as the new director of the National Agency for European Educational Programs and Mobility is deeply problematic and worrying. His appointment raises justified concerns regarding his publicly documented background.

Rather than embodying the values of education, youth empowerment, and European cooperation, Bogojeski brings a history of offensive, vulgar, and discriminatory rhetoric. European values rest upon the foundations of democracy, human rights and inclusion – values which seem incompatible with Bogojeski’s attitudes and narratives.

Records show that Bogojeski’s social media posts have a pattern of aggressive behavior, including sexist and homophobic insults, as well as derogatory remarks targeting ethnic Albanians. Much of this hateful language is shared through his private social media accounts and reflects the incompatibility with valuese of respect and inclusion.

Such language is fundamentally at odds with the mission of the agency he now leads—particularly its role in implementing the Erasmus+ program, which promotes intercultural exchange, inclusion, and respect for diversity. Bogojeski’s conduct raises serious concerns about his suitability to represent North Macedonia in a European context, and to serve a diverse youth population with the integrity and respect they deserve.

Bogojeski’s appointment has raised significant concerns about political motivations, especially considering that he was selected by a government coalition that includes and represents Albanian political parties—despite serious allegations against him for promoting hate speech targeting those very communities. The European Commission has also voiced its concern, clearly stating that it had no involvement in the selection process. In response, it has requested a formal meeting with North Macedonia’s Ministry of Education to further address the issue.

Civil society organisations have echoed these concerns, stressing that public institutions must uphold the fundamental values of respect, dignity, diversity, and integrity toward all communities. This case highlights a troubling inconsistency between the values professed by both national institutions and European partners and the actions taken through political appointments. Allowing individuals with a history of discriminatory rhetoric to assume influential public roles undermines the credibility of democratic governance and the commitment to inclusive, pluralistic societies.