A call for a "people's gathering" dedicated to Macedonian-Russian friendship, set by a Russian Orthodox church in the village of Blatec, took part of the church circles by surprise - and the loudest to distance itself was the very church in whose name it was supposedly organized. Residents of Vinica and Kocani were invited via social media to a gathering on June 14, but who exactly stands behind the invitation remained unknown.

The Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric quickly distanced itself. The priest Dragan Arsovski announced that the gathering "is not under the patronage of the Church and is without the knowledge and blessing of the responsible bishop," adding that the building is under construction and entirely unsuitable for such events. When contacted, the MOC-OA said it was hearing of such a call for the first time.

And here's what's worth noticing. When an anonymous organizer uses religious symbols and an unfinished church for a call with a clear geopolitical color, the question of accountability becomes central. Who's behind the invitation? Who's paying for it? And why the Russian-Orthodox theme, why now, why in a small village in the east?

The point isn't the gathering itself - maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. The point is the model: national and religious themes that mobilize people with no transparent signature behind them. In the Balkans we've seen this too many times to take it as an innocent initiative. When no one wants to put their name under the call, that in itself is a message.