Criminal charges filed after vandalism at Serbian cultural society in Kumanovo

Police in Kumanovo have filed criminal charges against two people after a cultural society’s premises were vandalized and offensive graffiti were sprayed on its walls. The charges named in the police filing include the criminal offence "incitement of hatred, discord or intolerance on national, religious and other discriminatory grounds." ([novamakedonija.com.mk](https://novamakedonija.com.mk/category/hronika/?utm_source=openai))

The building used by the Serbian cultural-artistic society was defaced with spray-painted messages, including the acronym "UCK" on several surfaces, and the association’s plaque was damaged during the incident. Local authorities carried out an on-site inspection and opened an investigation. ([nova.rs](https://nova.rs/vesti/politika/ostecena-tabla-kulturno-umetnickog-drustva-srpski-vez-u-kumanovu-i-ispisano-uck/komentari/?utm_source=openai))

In the police submission to the public prosecutor, the accused are listed as A.N. (18) from Kumanovo and a 16‑year‑old from the Republic of Austria; the filing states there are grounds to suspect they committed the offence of "incitement of hatred, discord or intolerance on national, religious and other discriminatory grounds." The original text of the filing includes a date written as "26.97.2026" for when the graffiti were placed; this notation appears to be a typographical error and could not be independently verified.

Reaction and next steps

Political and community representatives condemned the attack and called for the case to be fully investigated and for measures that will prevent similar incidents. Authorities say forensic steps and procedural measures are underway while the prosecution examines the police material. ([rtv.rs](https://www.rtv.rs/sr_ci/drustvo/na-prostorijama-srpskog-veza-u-kumanovu-ispisano-uck-milicevic-napad-na-zajednicu_1731999.html?utm_source=openai))

The cultural society affected in Kumanovo has been active in preserving Serbian song, dance and tradition in the region, and local officials emphasised that attacks on such associations damage inter‑community trust. Investigators continue to collect evidence; criminal proceedings will follow the prosecutor’s assessment of the police case. ([politika.rs](https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/764836/obelezeno-13-godina-rada-kud-srpski-vez-u-kumanovu?utm_source=openai))

Note: some details included in the police text provided to us (notably the date written as "26.97.2026") could not be independently confirmed in publicly available reports; the investigation remains open and judicial authorities will determine further steps.

Photo: press material from the event