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[[Bulgarians]] are a non-recognised ethnic minority in the [[Republic of Macedonia]]. Bulgarians are mostly found in the [[Strumica municipality|Strumica]] area,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ZMyZdvTympMC&pg=PA1&dq=Djoki%C4%87,+Dejan+(2003).+Yugoslavism:+Histories+of+a+Failed+Idea&hl=sl#PPA122,M1 Yugoslavism: histories of a failed idea, 1918-1992, Dejan Djokić, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2003, ISBN 1-85065-663-0, p. 122.]</ref> but over the years, the absolute majority of southwestern Republic of Macedonia have declared themselves [[Macedonians (ethnic group)|Macedonian]]. The town of [[Strumica]] and its surrounding area (including [[Novo Selo (Novo Selo)|Novo Selo]]) were part of Bulgaria between the [[Balkan wars]] and the end of [[World War I]], as well as during the [[World War II]]. The total number of Bulgarians counted in the 2002 Census was 1,417 or roughly 0.07%.
[[Bulgarians]] are an ethnic minority in the [[Republic of Macedonia]]. Bulgarians are mostly found in the [[Strumica municipality|Strumica]] area,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ZMyZdvTympMC&pg=PA1&dq=Djoki%C4%87,+Dejan+(2003).+Yugoslavism:+Histories+of+a+Failed+Idea&hl=sl#PPA122,M1 Yugoslavism: histories of a failed idea, 1918-1992, Dejan Djokić, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2003, ISBN 1-85065-663-0, p. 122.]</ref> but over the years, the absolute majority of southwestern Republic of Macedonia have declared themselves [[Macedonians (ethnic group)|Macedonian]]. The town of [[Strumica]] and its surrounding area (including [[Novo Selo (Novo Selo)|Novo Selo]]) were part of Bulgaria between the [[Balkan wars]] and the end of [[World War I]], as well as during the [[World War II]]. The total number of Bulgarians counted in the 2002 Census was 1,417 or roughly 0.07%.


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 04:19, 5 October 2012

Bulgarians in the Republic
of Macedonia
Regions with significant populations
Strumica and region
Languages
Bulgarian
Religion
Eastern Orthodox
Related ethnic groups
Macedonians

Bulgarians are an ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. Bulgarians are mostly found in the Strumica area,[3] but over the years, the absolute majority of southwestern Republic of Macedonia have declared themselves Macedonian. The town of Strumica and its surrounding area (including Novo Selo) were part of Bulgaria between the Balkan wars and the end of World War I, as well as during the World War II. The total number of Bulgarians counted in the 2002 Census was 1,417 or roughly 0.07%.

History

Yugoslavia

Until 1913 the majority of the Slav population of all three parts of the wider region of Macedonia had Bulgarian identity.[4] In 1912, the region of present-day Republic of Macedonia became a part of the Kingdom of Serbia, thus becoming Southern Serbia. During World War II, most regions of Macedonia were annexed by Bulgaria. Most local Slavic-speakers were regarded and self-identified as Macedonian Bulgarians.[5][6] After the end of World War II, the creation of People's Republic of Macedonia and of a new Macedonian language, it started a process of ethnogenesis and distinct national Macedonian identity was formed. The new Yugoslav authorities began a policy of removing of any Bulgarian influence, making Macedonia a connecting link for the establishment of new Balkan Communist Federation and creating a distinct Slavic consciousness that would inspire identification with Yugoslavia.[7] With the proclamation of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia as part of the Yugoslav federation, the authorities took measures that would overcome the pro-Bulgarian feeling among much of the population of Macedonia such as the Bloody Christmas in 1945.[8] These measures included severe repression of those espousing a Bulgarian ethnic identity,[8][9] and according to Bulgarian sources, more than 100,000 men were imprisoned under the new "Law for the protection of Macedonian national honor" for refusing to declare they were ethnic Macedonians.[8][9] Some 1,200 prominent Bulgarians were executed on the orders of Svetozar Vukmanović in the towns of Skopje, Veles, Kumanovo, Bitola and Stip.[9] In 1946, two Bulgarian politicians were sentenced to death and another 74 men jailed for attempting to detach SR Macedonia from Yugoslvaia and join it with Bulgaria.[9] The Communist authorities were successful in removing all Bulgarian influence in the region.[8] In Macedonia the Bulgarophobia increased almost to the level of state ideology.[10]

Part of a series on
Bulgarians
Българи
Coat of arms of Bulgaria
Culture
By country
Subgroups
Religion
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Other

The fall of Communism to present-day

By the time the Republic of Macedonia proclaimed its independence those who continued to look to Bulgaria were very few.[8] Some 3,000 - 4,000 people that stuck to their Bulgarian identity (most of them living in Strumica and the surroundings) met great hostility among the authorities and the rest of the population. With the fall of Communism this hostility has decreased, but still remains.[8] Occasional trials against Bulgarophiles have continued until today.[11][12]

Politics

Bulgarians and Bulgarophiles in the Republic of Macedonia do not have their own political parties, but still have political activity. Many politicians revealed their bulgarophilness after leaving the political stage as Ljubčo Georgievski and Antonio Milošoski. During the last few years, rising economic prosperity and the EU membership of Bulgaria has seen around 60,000 Macedonians applying for Bulgarian citizenship; in order to obtain it they must sign a statement declaring they are Bulgarians by origin. About 43,000 Macedonian nationals have received Bulgarian citizenship in the past 10 years.[13]

Association Radko

Association Radko is an illegal Bulgarian political organisation it the Republic of Macedonia. The Constitutional Court of Republic of Macedonia banned the organization Radko as "promoting racial and religious hate and intolerance".[14] The "Radko" association was registered in Ohrid in 2000. In 2001 it was proclaimed illegal. The association is named after the conspiration pseudonym of Ivan Mihailov, leader of Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization during the interbellum. In official Macedonian historiography, Mihailov is a terrorist and a Bulgarian chauvinist. In 2009 the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, condemned Republic of Macedonia because of violations of the European Convention of Human Rights in this case.[15]

VMRO - People's party

VMRO-Narodna Partija is a bulgarophil party in the Republic of Macedonia. Head of the party is the Bulgarian citizen and former Prime Minister Ljubčo Georgievski.[16][17] Despite the members of the party do not consider themselves as Bulgarians, they strongly declare their bulgarophilness and disagree with the official statements about the Macedonian history issued by the politicians and historians in the country. VMRO-NP states that the Macedonian history is fake and the antiquisation of the Macedonian history made by the ruling party VMRO-DPMNE is populism and it is used to hide the real problems of Macedonia.

See also

References

  1. ^ Republic of Macedonia - State Statistical Office
  2. ^ Промени в българското гражданство през периода 22.01.2002 - 30.09.2011 и 22.01.2002-14.12.2011
  3. ^ Yugoslavism: histories of a failed idea, 1918-1992, Dejan Djokić, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2003, ISBN 1-85065-663-0, p. 122.
  4. ^ Center for Documentation and Information on Minorities in Europe - Southeast Europe (CEDIME-SE) - Macedonians of Bulgaria
  5. ^ The struggle for Greece, 1941-1949, Christopher Montague Woodhouse, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2002, ISBN 1-85065-492-1, p. 67.
  6. ^ Who are the Macedonians? Hugh Poulton, Hurst & Co. Publishers, 1995, ISBN 1-85065-238-4, ISBN 978-1-85065-238-0, p. 101.
  7. ^ Europe since 1945. Encyclopedia by Bernard Anthony Cook. ISBN 0-8153-4058-3, pg. 808. [1]
  8. ^ a b c d e f Djokić, Dejan (2003). Yugoslavism: Histories of a Failed Idea, 1918-1992. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 122. ISBN 1-85065-663-0.
  9. ^ a b c d Phillips, John (2004). Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans. I.B.Tauris. p. 40. ISBN 1-86064-841-X.
  10. ^ Mirjana Maleska. Editor-in-chief. WITH THE EYES OF THE "OTHERS". (about Macedonian-Bulgarian relations and the Macedonian national identity). New Balkan Politics - Journal of Politics. ISSUE 6 [2]
  11. ^ Violations of Human Rights of Macedonian citizens with a Bulgarian ethnic consciousness 1990-1997
  12. ^ Court for waved Bulgarian flag in Macedonia.
  13. ^ Bulgarian citizenship: the latest numbers
  14. ^ РЕШЕНИЕ НА УСТАВНИОТ СУД НА РЕПУБЛИКА МАКЕДОНИЈА Публикувано во СЛУЖБЕН ВЕСНИК НА РМ Бр. 27 од 10.04.2001г.
  15. ^ Judgment 15 January 2009, (Application no. 74651/01)
  16. ^ "Former Macedonian Prime Minister received a Bulgarian passport" (in Bulgarian). Trud. 16 July 2006. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  17. ^ Macedonia embroiled in encyclopaedia row. Euractiv, 13 October 2009.

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