The Macedonian minority in Bulgaria on the difficult way for
self-determination
by Kiril Ivanov lkalek@infonet.techno-link.com
The Macedonian self-consciousness has its roots in the far
past. The struggle for recognition of the Macedonian minority has never stopped.
Today it is done in a contemporary democratic way with peaceful means.
Preposition for this peaceful process are the numerous international contracts
and agreements, declarations and framework conventions for the rights of
minorities.
The specific about the Macedonian minority is that they live
compactly in Pirin Macedonia and in the country there are many Macedonian
refugees from Pirin and Aegean Macedonia.
At the moment exist the following Macedonian organisations:
United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden - Party for Economic Development and
Integration of the Population, The Traditional Macedonian Organisation,
Bulgarian-Macedonian Association, Cultural Sport Association Shrine, Christian
Brothership Saint Ilia and others.
The United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden - Party for
Economic Development and Integration of the Population is not on minority basis
and will defend the rest minorities in Pirin Macedonia and Bulgaria: pomaks,
turks, jews, armenians and others. There are many people among the Macedonian
intellectuals who are afraid of economic, political and physical repression and
can not manifest themselves. The Macedonian minority can not gain its rights
because the Bulgarian government does not recognise its real existence. This is
the sequence of the long years nationalist position of the Bulgarian Communist
Party (Bulgarian Socialist Party), of the now ruling Union of the Democratic
Forces and other parties and organisations - their partners. In order to satisfy
its own cultural needs the Macedonian minority must look for help from the
international right protecting organisations, the European Union, the United
Nations. This really existing minority needs real moral and material support for
the country men living in the different parts of the world - Europe, America,
Canada, Australia.
In order to solve the problems of the Macedonian minority is
needed in near and future plan to do the following:
1. The application of the framework convention in Bulgaria to
be related to the Macedonian minority too.
2. Seeking and finding means for real and material support
for the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria.
3. Creation of active economic programme in Pirin Macedonia.
4. Giving collective rights to the Macedonian minority. 5.
Opening of Macedonian consulate in Blagoevgrad.
6. Opening of Macedonian Cultural Centres in Blagoevgrad,
Sandanski, Petrich, Razlog, Gotse Delchev.
7. Creation of Macedonian theatre in Blagoevgrad.
8. Creation of cultural relations between the cultural houses
in Pirin Macedonia and the Republic of Macedonia, between the cultural
enlightenment and church organisations in Aegean Macedonia, Europe, America,
Canada, Australia.
9. Opening of Macedonian book shops in Sofia, Plovdiv and the
other bigger towns in Bulgaria and Pirin Macedonia.
10. Publishing books, magazines and newspapers in Macedonian
language.
11. Giving license to the Radio-Television Centres to
broadcast programmes in Macedonian language.
12. Implementation of Macedonian language at schools.
13. In the field of religion to be delivered the Bible and
the Koran in Macedonian language.
14. Building memorial dedicated to the heroes died for the
freedom of Macedonia.
15. Access to the archives of the Bulgarian Communist Party
(Bulgarian Socialist Party) and State Security during the communist rule in
Bulgaria.
16. Opening of the Macedonian records in Bulgaria.
17. Returning of the confiscated materials by the State
Security upon arrest of members of the United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden.
18. To be stopped the persecution of people with Macedonian
self-consciousness.
19. To be forced the economic and transport relations with
the Republic of Macedonia, opening of the cross border link Strumyani-Berovo;
railroad corridor Blagoevgrad-Skopie.
20. Stimulation and technical prerequisites for the spiritual
unification of the Macedonians from Pirin, Vardar and Aegean region.
21. The expelled Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia to get the
right to return back home.
I. With the application of the framework convention in
Bulgaria will be given the possibility the Macedonian minority to demonstrate
itself free and legitimate and with registration of all Macedonian organisations
and associations. When the Bulgarian laws are harmonised with the European, then
the Macedonian minority will get its rights. The starvation, plight generated by
the unemployment push the minority to despair, indifference towards the problems
of their ethnic entity. This causes depersonalization and cutting from the
traditions inhereted from the grandparents through songs, dances, habits. The
Macedonian intelligentsia is compelled to self- identify itself as Macedonian
bulgarians in order not to lose jobs and family subsistence. At the same time
they are mentally suffering because they can not determine themselves such as
they feel.
Giving collective rights to the Macedonian minority in
Bulgaria greatly depends on external factors: European Union, United Nations,
Macedonian, diplomatic activity and Macedonian Diaspora.
The opening of Macedonian consulate in Blagoevgrad will solve
many problems and technical-economical difficulties of the Macedonians in Pirin
Macedonia.
The creation of Macedonian cultural houses in the towns of
Pirin Macedonia will allow our children to continue the traditions of the
wonderful authentic Macedonian folklore. The availability of Macedonian theatre
and book shops will allow the Macedonian intelligentsia to get acquainted
directly with the achievements of the country men in the field of art, culture
and literature. The publishing of Macedonian books, magazines and newspapers
will satisfy the interests of the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria.
II. The publishing of a peoples newspaper in Macedonian
language that corresponds to the interests of the Macedonian minority is long
expected and wished. In it everybody will find something about himself. It is
needed in order to form Macedonian self-consciousness of the people and to free
the ethnic affiliation in order to live in peace and friendship with all
minorities, ethnoses and religious societies in Pirin Macedonia and Bulgaria.
The newspaper must tell the people the necessity of peaceful and tolerant
development and for overcoming the differences between people from the stand
point of protecting the rights of every man no matter his religious or ethnic
affiliation. The contents of the newspaper will be dedicated to the life and
culture of the Macedonian minority, to the social, political activity and will
mark way in the future for higher living standard. With the whole editing the
newspaper, with cultural respect should compete with the numerous newspapers,
published in Bulgaria and to raise the level of the Macedonian language,
preserved in the Macedonian minority.
III. In the area of electronic media, we the Macedonians are
surrounded by many local, private and state Radio Television Centres that
influence non stop in political and historical aspect with pro-bulgarian facts
and we do not want abolition of the ethnic self-personality and
self-consciousness. Needed is protection on the same level, but we are not given
such a possibility although the international lawful documents and the framework
convention about the minorities.
IV. Not on the last place must be pointed the field of the
religions in Macedonia - eastern orthodox and muslim. Our country men have
strong faith and in the field of religious traditions must gain real rights and
to hear we are on different ways, because of the territorial division of
Macedonia. The religious holidays are celebrated with 14 days difference. It is
necessary to standardise the holidays in order to be heard our preys by God and
from there the hopes of for spiritual unification of the Macedonians are
greater.
The way of the Macedonian self-determination has always been
long and full of changes but the fate of our Macedonia is in our hands and we
believe in its happy future.
IV. The economic and social policy is inseparable part of the
activity of the United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden-PIRIN. This is in fact
their purpose for increasing the life standard of the Macedonian population in
the region of Pirin. With this aim we insist on decisive measures in this
direction and more precisely:
- All water resources in Pirin Macedonia should not be
deviated to other regions in order to ensure better life of population.
- The Bulgarian government to ensure preferences for foreign
investment in agriculture, industry and tourism which will decrease the
unemployment in Pirin Macedonia.
- To be relieved the commercial exchange between the Balkan
countries and to be established large scale cooperation in the field of water
supply, energetics, agriculture, tourism, science, education, sport and others.
- To be ensured tax relieves for firms, organisations and
private personalities, finding new jobs for unemployed and disabled people.
For the realisation of the programme of the United Macedonian
Organisation Ilinden-Pirin is necessary to be democratised the social life in
Bulgaria in the direction of recognition the rights of minorities according to
the international agreements for protection of human rights.
