PM Gruevski Dislikes 'Republic of Northern Macedonia'

[poiuytrewq0987]

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has declared himself against renaming his state “Republic of Northern Macedonia.

Gruevski has expressed his position with respect to the latest solution put forth by Greece to the dispute between Greece and Macedonia about the name of the latter.

“If there is a proposal in favor of “Republic of Northern Macedonia,” if this name is presented to the UN envoy Matthew Nimetz, I am going to hold a referendum on it. If you are asking about my personal opinion, I am going to vote against it,” said Macedonian PM Gruevski in an interview for the Macedonian TV channel Sitel as cited by BTA.

http://novinite.com/view_news.php?id=115601

[jerney]

I learned that Macedonians get very irritated if you ask them why they stole the name Macedonia from the Greeks.

[poiuytrewq0987]

I learned that Macedonians get very irritated if you ask them why they stole the name Macedonia from the Greeks.

I come from the region and I couldn't give a fuck if the country was renamed Northern Macedonia. Actually I would prefer it to not have a name that includes Macedonia in one way or other.

[RoyBatty]

I learned that Macedonians get very irritated if you ask them why they stole the name Macedonia from the Greeks.

The issue is pretty idiotic. FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) is a genetically mixed territory. It became fashionable in certain circles to adopt a manufactured "Macedonian" identity, the idea being that the inhabitants of FYROM are somehow the direct descendants of Macedonians / Alexander the Great etc etc. The state run TV produced programs defining Macedonia as the center of the white universe etc. It's absurd fairytale bs but they enjoy the concept.

Youtube is littered with clips about "heroic Macedonian patriots" destroying their Serbian, Bulgarian, Greek and Albanian "enemies". It's nothing but small nation insanity.

Laying claim to a "Macedonian identity" naturally has the implication that FYROM can lay claim to "Greater Macedonian" territory meaning that it then becomes (in their minds) a legitimate argument to lay claim to Northern Greece because it is supposedly "occupied Macedonian territory". Check out the "Greater Macedonia" portals on the WWW for more entertainment.

Imo the whole situation around Macedonia is a mess. It's essentially a Slavic country in which certain elements are promoting a "Macedonian" / "Alexander the Great" identity which has little to do with their origins. Imo it should be in a union with Serbia because it is too small a state to protect itself from hostile neighbours and foreign (particularly US) interference.

[poiuytrewq0987]

Imo the whole situation around Macedonia is a mess. It's essentially a Slavic country in which certain elements are promoting a "Macedonian" / "Alexander the Great" identity which has little to do with their origins. Imo it should be in a union with Serbia because it is too small a state to protect itself from hostile neighbours and foreign (particularly US) interference.

No, the country should be reunited with Bulgaria, not Serbia.

[RoyBatty]

No, the country should be reunited with Bulgaria, not Serbia.

That is a fair point. It often happens that Macedonian Nationalists suddenly become "Bulgarian" after realising they have a Bulgarian grandparent and that they can apply for Bulgarian and hence EU citizenship.



Whatever it is they choose to do, they better do it soon because the state is too small to defend itself against neighbourhood problems.

[poiuytrewq0987]

That is a fair point. It often happens that Macedonian Nationalists suddenly become "Bulgarian" after realising they have a Bulgarian grandparent and that they can apply for Bulgarian and hence EU citizenship.



Whatever it is they choose to do, they better do it soon because the state is too small to defend itself against neighbourhood problems.

Macedonians today can acquire Bulgarian citizenship by just claiming they're Bulgarian. It's that simple. All you need to do is walk into a Bulgarian embassy in Skopie, and tell them that you want to acquire Bulgarian citizenship because you are Bulgarian (though I've heard of more complicated cases).

Yes, I agree... all the more reason for it to be reunited with Bulgaria.



За Велика и единен България!

[RoyBatty]

Macedonians today can acquire Bulgarian citizenship by just claiming they're Bulgarian. It's that simple. All you need to do is walk into a Bulgarian embassy in Skopie, and tell them that you want to acquire Bulgarian citizenship because you are Bulgarian (though I've heard of more complicated cases).

Thanks for the info, I didn't know it has become this simple! It seems like a similar situation to Moldova and Romania where Moldovans can apply for and be granted Romanian citizenship. No doubt the strategy is to assimilate Moldova into Romania. The Bulgaria / FYROM arrangement appears to be similar.

[poiuytrewq0987]

Thanks for the info, I didn't know it has become this simple! It seems like a similar situation to Moldova and Romania where Moldovans can apply for and be granted Romanian citizenship. No doubt the strategy is to assimilate Moldova into Romania. The Bulgaria / FYROM arrangement appears to be similar.

Yes, and I think they even did a story about it.

Oliver Vodasov has managed to do something many Macedonians dream of – he has built up a successful career in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, a European Union member state. Even though Macedonia is not a member of the union, Vodasov can freely work as a lawyer in Bulgaria after having been granted citizenship. For this to happen he had to prove Bulgarian ethnicity.

“I was born in the Macedonian town of Negotino and came to Bulgaria to study law in 1997. It is definitely considered more prestigious to study in Sofia as we have more opportunities to develop here, “ says Mr Vodasov.

He confirms that the bigger part of his colleagues at the university remained in Bulgaria just like him after landing a Bulgarian citizenship.

Oliver Vodasov and his colleagues are one of those, who annoy the Macedonian authorities and have given rise to accusations against the Bulgarian state of a covertly expansionist agenda. He however denies he has been encouraged to apply for Bulgarian citizenship or has done so under pressure.

“Bulgaria is the only place in the world where we, the Macedonians, are not second-hand people,” says he. “Do you think I would have worked as a lawyer if I had migrated to Germany?”

Bulgaria grants citizenship to Macedonians who prove Bulgarian ethnicity. The procedure requires providing their family name and birth certificate and filling in complex paperwork. Under Bulgaria's rules, perhaps two-thirds of of Macedonia's population of two million could be eligible for citizenship.

http://novinite.com/view_news.php?id=112811

And 3 Macedonians who rescued a bunch of Bulgarians in Lake Ohrid received Bulgarian citizenship immediately after the event. I don't think they would've done that unless they were Macedonian.

[Óttar]

I learned that Macedonians get very irritated if you ask them why they stole the name Macedonia from the Greeks.

Well then they shouldn't use a name to which they aren't entitled.