Macedonia (terminology)

The terms used to refer to the region that many people know as Macedonia are a source of confusion. Frequently, overlapping terms are used to describe geographical, political and historical areas, languages and peoples. Ethnic groups inhabiting the area use different terminology for the same objects, or the same terminology for different objects, which is often confusing to other inhabitants of the region and foreigners alike.

Historically, the region has presented markedly shifting borders across the Balkan peninsula. Geographically, no single definition of its borders or the names of its subdivisions is accepted by all scholars and ethnic groups. Demographically, it is mainly inhabited by three ethnic groups. A Slavic group self-identifies as Macedonian at a national level, while a Greek one does so at a regional level. Linguistically, the names and origins of the languages and dialects spoken in the region are a source of controversy. Politically, the use of the name Macedonia has led to a diplomatic dispute between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. Despite intervention from the United Nations, the dispute is still pending full resolution.

Regardless of the borderless, historic nature of the region, Macedonia can be safely considered as lying in the heart of the Balkan peninsula. Therefore, the reason for this polyonymy, heteronymy and confusion can be summarised in Winston Churchill's words: "The Balkan region has a tendency to produce more history than it can consume." ^[1]

Etymology

Main article: Etymology of the name of Macedonia

There are three theories for the etymology of the name Macedonia: According to ancient Greek mythology, Macedon was the name of the first phylarch (tribal chief) of the tribe that initially settled western, southern and central Macedonia and founded the kingdom of Macedon. Αccording to Herodotus, the Makednoí were a tribe of the Dorians. The name probably derives from the Doric adjective μακεδνός makednós, meaning "tall" since both the Macedonians (Makedónes) and their Makednoí tribal ancestors were regarded as tall people. The adjective is used by Homer in Odyssey (7.105f), to describe a tall poplar tree, and by Aristophanes in his comedy the Birds, to describe a wall built around their imaginary city. An unattested hypothesis suggests that the name Makedónes may mean "highlanders", from a hypothetical Macedonian bahuvrihi *μακι-κεδόνες *maki-kedónes "of the high earth".

In history

**Political entities with the name "Macedonia":**
Reference	Status	Chronology
Macedonia	Ancient kingdom	8th century BC to 146 BCE
Macedonia	Roman province	146 BCE to c.284-395 CE
Macedonia	Byzantine province	c.284-395 CE to 1453
Absent	Not an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire	1453 to 1913
Macedonia	Region of Greece (divided in 3 administrative peripheries)	1913 to present
Macedonia	Socialist republic of the SFRY	1946 to 1991
Macedonia	Sovereign state	1991 to present

The region of Macedonia has been home to several historical political entities; the main ones are given below. The borders of each of these entities were different.

Early history

Macedonia started as an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and the region of Thrace to the east. The first Macedonian state emerged in the 8th or early 7th century BCE. Its notable ruler Alexander the Great conquered all of the known world until his early death in 323 BCE. The empire lasted until the Roman conquest in 146 BCE.

Under the Roman conquest, Macedonia, became a province of the Roman Empire which lasted from 146 BCE to c.284-395 CE. It incorporated the provinces of Epirus vetus, Thessaly, and parts of Illyria and Thrace.

With the Diocletian split of the Roman Empire to Western and Eastern, c.284–395, Macedonia became a province of the Byzantine Empire. It was an administrative division which largely occupied the region of Eastern Thrace, bordered by the provinces of Constantinople, Thrace, Thessaloniki and Strymon. The Byzantine rule ended in 1453, with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans.

The region was subsumed into the Ottoman Empire and remained this way for nearly 500 years. There was no administrative division of Macedonia within the Ottoman Empire.

Modern history

In 1913, as a result of the Balkan Wars between the Ottoman Empire and the Balkan League (Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece, and Serbia), part of Macedonia, was incorporated to Greece.^[2] Until today, this part is further divided into three administrative "peripheries" in northern Greece.

Meanwhile, in 1946, another part of Macedonia, was recognised by the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a socialist republic and became one of its constituent republics.^[3] On September 17, 1991, a referendum established the independence of this socialist republic, as a contemporary sovereign state, with the constitutional name Republic of Macedonia, or with the conventional short form name of simply Macedonia.^N-^[3]

In geography

Macedonia (as a current geographical term) refers to a region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe, covering approximately 67,000 square kilometers. Although the region's borders are not officially defined by any international organization or state, in some contexts, the territory appears to correspond to the basins of (from west to east) the Haliacmon (Aliákmonas), Vardar / Axios and Struma / Strymónas rivers, and the plains around Thessaloniki and Serres.

In a historic context, the region presents markedly shifting borders across the Balkan peninsula, since borders were loosely defined according to the administrative requirements of its conquerors. Under the Ottoman conquest, which lasted four centuries, Macedonia was not an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire, and the name disappeared from most maps.^[4] Geographer H.R. Wilkinson suggests that the region "defies definition". Its current geographical limits are nonhomogeneous – either ethnically or geographically – and they seem to have been established only in 1899, by the Greek cartographer C. Nicolaides for political purposes. His map took hold a few years later.^[5] The map area was adopted by some Bulgarian geographers like V. Kanchev, in 1900^[5] and D.M. Brancoff in 1905.^[5] (For more details on the borderless nature of the region of Macedonia, see Boundaries and definitions section in Macedonia (region)).

Extremist ethnic Macedonian nationalists have expressed irredentist claims to what they refer to as "Aegean Macedonia" (in Greece),^[6]^,^[7]^,^[8] "Pirin Macedonia" (in Bulgaria),^[9] "Mala Prespa and Golo Bardo" (in Albania),^[10] and "Gora and Prohor Pchinski" (in Serbia).^[11] The region borders, as defined in the map above, as well as the relative terminology that follows, exactly coincide with maps produced by ethnic Macedonian nationalists, despite the fact that ethnic Greeks, Bulgarians, Albanians and Serbs form the overwhelming majority of the population of each part of the region respectively. These fringe groups have received no official encouragement from the government of the Republic of Macedonia, especially since 1995 when a constitutional ammendment was added stating that there were no territorial claims on neighbouring countries. A thorough explanation on these irredentist claims is discussed in the article, United Macedonia.

The region of Macedonia is commonly divided into three major and two minor sub-regions.^[12] The name Macedonia appears under certain contexts on the major regions, while the smaller ones are traditionally referred to by other local toponyms:

Major sub-regions

The region of Macedonia is commonly split geographically into three main sub-regions, especially when discussing the Macedonian Question. The terms are used in non-partisan scholarly works, although they are also used in ethnic Macedonian literature of an irredentist nature:^[13]

Aegean Macedonia^N-^[1] (or Greek Macedonia) is a term that refers to an area in the south of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area are, overall, those of ancient Macedonia in Greece. It covers an area of 34,200 km²^[14] (for discussion of the reported irredentist origin of this term, see Aegean Macedonia).
Pirin Macedonia^N-^[2] (or Bulgarian Macedonia) is an area in the east of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area approximately coincide with those of Blagoevgrad Province in Bulgaria.^[12] It covers an area of 6,449 km².^[15]
Vardar Macedonia (formerly Yugoslav Macedonia) is an area in the north of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area are those of the Republic of Macedonia.^[12] It covers an area of 25,333 km².^[16]

Minor parts

In addition to the above named sub-regions, there are also two other regions, in Albania and Serbia respectively. These regions are also considered geographically part of Macedonia. They are referred to by ethnic Macedonians as follows,^[13] but typically aren't referred to by non-partisan scholars.

Mala Prespa and Golo Bardo is a small area in the west of the Macedonia region in Albania, mainly around the Lake Ohrid.
Gora and Prohor Pchinski are minor parts in the north of the Macedonia region in Serbia.

In demographics

The region, as defined above, has a total population of about 5 million. The main disambiguation issue in demographics is the self-identifying name of two contemporary groups. The ethnic Macedonian population of the Republic of Macedonia self-identify as Macedonian on a national level, while the Greek Macedonians self-identify as both Macedonian on a regional, and Greek on a national level. This disambiguation problem has led to a wide variety of terms used to refer to the separate groups, more information of which can be found in the terminology by group section.

The self-identifying Macedonians (collectively referring to the inhabitants of the region) that inhabit or inhabited the area are:

Macedonians (as an ethnic group), in reference to the majority of the population of the Republic of Macedonia. Statistics for 2002 indicate the population of ethnic Macedonians within Republic of Macedonia as 1,297,981.^[16]^,^[17]
Macedonians (as a legal term), in reference to all the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation.^[16] However, the preamble of the constitution^[18] distinguishes between "the Macedonian people" and the "Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Romanics and other nationalities living in the Republic of Macedonia", but for whom "full equality as citizens" is provided. As of 2002 the total population of the country is 2,022,547.^[17]
Macedonians (as a regional group in Greece), in reference to ethnic Greeks living in regions referred to as Macedonia, and particularly Greek Macedonia. This group composes the vast majority of the population of the Greek region of Macedonia. The 2001 census for the total population of the Macedonia region in Greece shows 2,625,681.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
Macedonians (as a group of antiquity), in reference to the inhabitants of the kingdom of Macedon,^[19] including their notable rulers Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great who self-identified as Greeks.^[20]
Macedo-Romanians, as an alternative name for Aromanians, people living throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Northern Dobruja, Romania. This not very frequent appellation is the only one with the disambiguating portmanteau, both within the members of the same ethnic group and the other ethnic groups in the area.^[21]

As of 2001 the inhabitants of Bulgarian Macedonia, who in their vast majority self-identify as Bulgarians, are 341,245.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

In linguistics

As language is one of the elements tied in with national identity, the same disputes that are voiced over demographics are also found in linguistics. In terms of the word Macedonian to describe a linguistic phenomenon, be it a language or a dialect, there are two main disputes:

On the first hand, the origins of the Ancient Macedonian language are currently unknown, with one part of the scholars believing that it was related to the Ancient Greek language, and another advocating a separate language hypothesis. The scientific community generally agrees that, although few findings are available, there is no concrete evidence for supporting either hypothesis.^[22]^,^[23]^,^[24]^,^[25]

On the other hand, the Macedonian language is unrelated to the Ancient Macedonian language. It currently suffers from two main disputes. The first dispute is over the name (alternative ways of referring to this language can be found in the terminology by group section). The second dispute is over the existence of a Macedonian language distinct from Bulgarian, the denial of which is a position supported by nationalist groups^[26], but also, less vehemently, by ordinary Bulgarians. Further information on this can be found in the Macedonian language article.

The self-identifying names of the oral means of communication of the contemporary or historic inhabitants of the region follow:

Macedonian (as a contemporary language) is a language of the South Slavic branch of the Indo-European family.
Macedonian (as a language or dialect of antiquity) was a language of the Indo-European family.^[19]
Macedonian (as a dialect today) is a dialect of Modern Greek, a language of the Indo-European family.
Macedo-Romanian is an Eastern Romance language spoken in Southeastern Europe by the Aromanians.^[21]

In politics

Template:Political Macedonia Republic of Macedonia^N-^[3] is the constitutional name of the sovereign state which occupies the northern part of the geographical region of Macedonia. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is a term used to refer to this state by the main international organisations, including United Nations,^[27] European Union,^[28] NATO,^[29], IMF,^[30] WTO,^[31] IOC,^[32] World Bank,^[33] EBRD,^[34] OSCE,^[35] FIFA,^[36] and FIBA.^[37] The term came to be used following a naming dispute with Greece. Some countries use this term as a stop-gap measure, pending resolution of the naming dispute.

Greece and the Republic of Macedonia each consider this name a compromise:^[38] it is opposed by some Greeks for containing the Greek self-identifying name Macedonia, and by many in the Republic of Macedonia for not being the short self-identifying name.^[39] Greece uses it in both the abbreviated (FYROM or ΠΓΔΜ)^N-^[3] and spellout form (πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβική Δημοκρατία της Μακεδονίας).

Macedonia refers also to a geographic region in Greece, divided in the three administrative sub-regions (peripheries) of West, Central, and East Macedonia. The region is overseen by the Ministry for Macedonia–Thrace.

Names in the languages of the region

Macedonia

Albanian:	Maqedonia	Macedonian:	Македонија (Makedonija)
Armenian:	Մակեդոնիա (Makedonia)	Romany:	Makedoniya'
Aromanian:	Machidunia	Russian:	Македония (Makedonija)
Bulgarian:	Македония (Makedonija)	Serbian:	Македонија, Makedonija
Greek:	Μακεδονία (Makedonia)	Turkish:	Makedonya
Ladino:	Makedonia, מקדוניה

Terminology by group

All these controversies have led ethnic groups in Macedonia to use terms in conflicting ways. Despite the fact that these terms may not always be used in a pejorative way, they may be perceived as such by the receiving ethnic group. Both Greeks and ethnic Macedonians, generally use all terms deriving from Macedonia to describe their own ethnic or regional group, and have devised several other terms to disambiguate the other side, or the region in general.

A proportion of Bulgarians and ethnic Macedonians have extremist views about their inter-relatedness. On the one hand, extremist ethnic Macedonians^[40] seek to deny the possibility of any national, linguistic and historical relatedness to the Bulgarians. On the other hand, extremist Bulgarians seek to downplay this distinctiveness,^[41] and are often supported by extremist Greeks.^[42] Bulgarians and ethnic Macedonians seek to deny the self-identification of the Slavic speaking minority in northern Greece,^[43] which mostly self-identifies as Greek. Extremists on all sides have been known to fabricate and reproduce falsified information, along with denying genuine information and propagating unscientific and psuedoscientific theories.^[44]^,^[45]^,^[46]

Certain terms are in use by these groups as outlined below. Any denial of self-identification by any side, or any attribution to Macedonia related terms by third parties to the other side, can be seen as highly offensive. General usage of these terms follows:

Template:MultiCol

Bulgarian terminology

Garkomani (Гъркомани) is a derogatory term used to refer to the largest portion of the Slavic-speaking minority of Macedonia in Greece who self-identify as Greeks.^[47]
Macedonian and the Slavic dialects of Greece are considered dialects of Bulgarian by Bulgarian linguists, not independent languages or dialects of other languages (e.g. Serbian). This is also the popular view in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government, however, has officially recognized the language.^[48]
Macedonism (Македонизъм), Macedonistics (Македонистика) is a derogatory term, generally synonymous with disciplines such as study of the origins of the Macedonian language and history of the Macedonian people conducted in the Republic of Macedonia and in former Yugoslavia. It is generally considered in Bulgaria to be a kind of pseudoscience.^[49]
Macedonist (Македонист) is a derogatory term for a person associated with the study of the origins of the Macedonian language and history of the Macedonian people (not necessarily from the Republic of Macedonia or Yugoslavia), whose studies support the official historical doctrine of the Republic of Macedonia or former Yugoslavia.^[49]
Old Bulgarian (Старобългарски) is the name Bulgarians give to the Old Church Slavonic language used in the Ohrid Literary School among others. In contrast, Old Church Slavonic is rarely referred by Macedonians as Old Macedonian, but is referred as Old Slavic.^[50]

| class="col-break " |

Greek terminology

Macedonia (Μακεδονία) can refer to the region of Macedonia or Macedonia in Greece depending on the context — usually the first being disambiguated.^[51]
Macedonian (Μακεδόνας) refers to an ethnically Greek Macedonian.^[51]
Ancient Macedonian (Αρχαίος Μακεδόνας) refers to an Ancient Macedonian.^[51]
Macedonian Slav, Slavic Macedonian or Slavomacedonian^N-^[5] (Σλαβομακεδόνας) refers to a member of the Macedonian ethnic group.
Macedonian Slavic, Slavic Macedonian or Slavomacedonian^N-^[5] (Σλαβομακεδονικά) refers to the Macedonian language.^[52]
Republic of Skopje (Δημοκρατία των Σκοπίων) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.^[53]
State of Skopje (Κράτος των Σκοπίων) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.^[54]
Skopje, or Skopia (Σκόπια) refers to either the Republic of Macedonia or its capital city of Skopje.^[55]
Skopjan, or Skopian (Σκοπιανός) refers to a member of the Macedonian ethnic group living in the Republic or outside it, not in Greece.^[55]
Skopianika (Σκοπιανικά) refers to the Macedonian language.^[56]
Slavophone (Σλαβόφωνος) refers to a member of the Slavic speaking minority in Greece, which mainly consists of Greek-identifying Slavic-speakers,^[57] but also Bulgarians and ethnic Macedonians.
Bulgaroskopian (Βουλγαροσκοπιανός) is a derogatory term used to refer to ethnic Macedonians.^[42]

| class="col-break " |

Ethnic Macedonian terminology

Macedonia (Македонија) can interchangeably refer to either the region of Macedonia or the Republic of Macedonia.^[58]
Macedonians (Македонци) generally refers to the Macedonian ethnic group associated with the Republic of Macedonia, neighbouring countries and abroad.^[58]
Aegean Macedonia (Егејска Македонија — Egejska Makedonija) refers to Macedonia in Greece (as defined by the administrative division of Greece).^[59]^,^[60]
Pirin Macedonia (Пиринска Македонија — Pirinska Makedonija) refers to the Blagoevgrad Province of Bulgaria (as defined by the administrative division of Bulgaria).^[60]
Old Macedonian (Старомакедонски) is one of the names ethnic Macedonians give to the Ancient Macedonian language.^[61]
Bugarashi (Бугараши) or Bugarofili (Бугарофили) are derogatory terms used to refer to people in the Republic of Macedonia self-identifying as Bulgarian, or having a pro-Bulgarian orientation.^[62]^{, ^{^[63]}}
Egejci (Егејци) is а term sometimes used to refer to people living in the Republic of Macedonia and abroad that are originating from the Aegean Macedonia (today’s Greece).^[64]
Grkomani (Гркомани) is a derogatory term used to refer to the largest portion of the Slavic-speaking minority of Macedonia in Greece who self-identify as Greeks.^[65]
Srbomani (Србомани) or Srbofili (Србофили) are derogatory terms used to refer to people in the Republic of Macedonia self-identifying as Serbian, or having a pro-Serb orientation.^[62]^{, ^{^[66]}}

Template:EndMultiCol

Notes

n-[1]^ During the Greek Civil War, in 1947, the Greek Ministry of Press and Information published a book, I Enandion tis Ellados Epivoulis ("Designs on Greece"), namely of documents and speeches on the ongoing Macedonian issue, many translations from Yugolsav officials. It reports Josip Broz Tito using the term "Aegean Macedonia" on the October 11, 1945 in the build up to the Greek Civil War; the original document is archived in ‘GFM A/24581/G2/1945’. For Athens, the “new term, Aegean Macedonia”, (also “Pirin Macedonia”), was introduced by Yugoslavs. Contextually, this observation indicates this was part of the Yugoslav offensive against Greece, laying claim to Greek Macedonia, but Athens does not take issue with the term itself. The 1945 date concurs with Bulgarian sources. Further information on this can be found in the article Aegean Macedonia.

n-[2]^ Despite a history of use by Bulgarian nationalists,^[67] the term "Pirin Macedonia" is today regarded as offensive by certain Bulgarians,^[68] who assert that it is widely used by Macedonists as part of the irredentist concept of United Macedonia. However, many people in the country also think of the name as a purely geographical term, which it has historically been. Its use is, thus, controversial.

n-[3]^a ^b The constitutional name of the country "Republic of Macedonia" and the short name "Macedonia" when referring to the country, can be considered offensive by most Greeks and Macedonians in Greece. The official reasons for this, as described by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are:

"The choice of the name Macedonia by FYROM directly raises the issue of usurpation of the cultural heritage of a neighbouring country. The name constitutes the basis for staking an exclusive rights claim over the entire geographical area of Macedonia. More specifically, to call only the Slavo-Macedonians Macedonians monopolizes the name for the Slavo-Macedonians and creates semiological confusion, whilst violating the human rights and the right to self-determination of Greek Macedonians. The use of the name by FYROM alone may also create problems in the trade area, and subsequently become a potential springboard for distorting reality, and a basis for activities far removed from the standards set by the European Union and more specifically the clause on good neighbourly relations. The best example of this is to be seen in the content of school textbooks in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia."^[69]

n-[4]^ The abbreviated term "FYROM" can be considered offensive when used to refer to the Republic of Macedonia. The spellout of the term, the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", is not necessarily considered offensive, but some ethnic Macedonians may still find it offensive due to their right of self-identification being ignored. The term can also be offensive for Greeks under certain contexts, since it contains the word Macedonia.

n-[5] ^a ^b Although acceptable in the past, current use of the name "Slavomacedonian" in reference to both the ethnic group and the language can be considered pejorative and offensive by some ethnic Macedonians. The Greek Helsinki Monitor reports:

"... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness. Unfortunately, according to members of the community, this term was later used by the Greek authorities in a pejorative, discriminatory way; hence the reluctance if not hostility of modern-day Macedonians of Greece (i.e. people with a Macedonian national identity) to accept it."^[57]

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^ "Interim Accord between the Hellenic Republic and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", United Nations, 13 September 1995.
^ Gatzoulis, B. (2000). "MACEDONIA? What's in a Name - A Rose by Any Other Name, Is It Still A Rose?". Pan-Macedonian Association USA, Inc. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ "Macedonian Info". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ "Macedonian Scientific Institute". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b Template:El icon "Ελληνικές Γραμμές ("Hellenic Lines")". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ "Bulgarian Human Rights in Macedonia". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Arnaiz-Villena, A. (2001). "HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the Greeks". (theory considered to "lack scientific merit", see below). Blackwell Publishing, Inc. doi:10.1034/j.1399-0039.2001.057002118.x. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ Cavalli-Sforza, Luca, L. (Jan. 10, 2002). "Comment on the above theory: Dropped genetics paper lacked scientific merit". Nature (415). Nature Publishing Group: 115. doi:10.1038/415115b. Retrieved 2006-07-23. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ McKie, Robin (November 25, 2001). "Article regarding above theory". Journal axes gene research on Jews and Palestinians. The Observer International. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Bg icon "Giza, Antony". The Balkan Countries and the Macedonian Question. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
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^ ^a ^b Template:Bg icon Dimitrov, Bozhidar (2003). The Ten Lies of Macedonism. Sofia, Bulgaria: Blaže Koneski. ISBN 9540718074. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Bg icon Todorov, Georgi. "Article: The construction of "Zograf" by Stefan the Great". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c Tegopoulos, Fytrakis (1997). Μείζον Ελληνικό Λεξικό ("Mízon Hellinikó Lexikó"). Ekdoseis Armonia A.E. pp. 674, 1389. ISBN 9607598040.
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^ Nystazopoulou - Pelekidou, M. (1992). "The republic of Skopje and the northest geographical boundaries of Macedonia". The "Macedonian Question": A Historical Review. Ionian University, ISBN 9607260015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ "The Archbishop on the problem of the naming of the FYROM". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b Template:El icon "Ελληνικές Γραμμες ("Hellenic Lines")". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ "Macedonian in different languages". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b "Greek Helsinki Monitor" (pdf). The Macedonians. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b Template:Mk icon "Maкедонија (Macedonia)". ЕНЦИКЛОПЕДИЈА Британика (Encyclopedia Britannica). Скопје: Топер. 2005.
^ Template:Mk icon "A1 TV". Средба на Македонците од Егејска Македонија во Трново. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b Template:Mk icon "Official webpage of the President of the Republic of Macedonia". Остварени средби на Претседателот Бранко Црвенковски за време на неговата посета на Канада. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Bg icon Вѣнко Марковски. "Македонска Трибуна (Makedonska Tribuna)". Народ, който не познава своята собствена история, се поддава на асимилация. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ ^a ^b Template:Mk icon "Vest Macedonia daily newspaper". Бугарофили и србофили се тепале за црквата Свети Никола. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Mk icon "Tribune". Кој го ослободи Марјановиќ од вистината? Кој за што, професорот за “најодвратните бугараши”. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Mk icon "A1 TV". Протест на „Виножито“ и на Македонците Егејци на Меџитлија. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ "Biser Balkanski, Canadian Macedonian Internet Community". Definition of a Gerkoman. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Malinovski, I. (May 23, 2002). ""MARKOVGRAD"-Political Thought of the Serbian South". Skoplje, FYROM. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Bg icon"VMRO-BND (Bulgarian National Party)". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Template:Bg icon"Club for Fundamental Iniciatives". КАК СТАВАХ НАЦИОНАЛИСТ. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ "Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs". Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) - The Name Issue. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)