An act occurred that undermines all other attempts to find a solution to the misunderstandings between Macedonia and Bulgaria. The naming of the Bulgarian Cultural Club in Bitola with the name “Vanco Mihajlov” is nothing but a deliberate provocation, which at the same time sends a message, said Dragi Gjorgiev, co-chair of the joint Macedonian-Bulgarian Commission for Historical and Educational Affairs.

It is a historical figure who, due to his ideas for the non-existence of the Macedonian nation, has received extremely negative content from the Macedonians. And when the name of such a person is imposed as the name of a cultural club on the territory of the Macedonian state, and that person has nothing to do with culture, then it can be understood only as an arrogant provocation, or even as an act that goes to the opposite side from the so-called friendship, Gjorgiev told Deutsche Welle.

According to him, the name of the Bulgarian Cultural Club in Bitola sends a message to Macedonians, which has nothing to do with culture.

The tendency to remind the Macedonian public that Mihajlov’s well-known ideas regarding the Macedonian nation and language will continue to be nurtured in Macedonia itself is more than obvious. A message that, unfortunately, will make the rift between Macedonians and Bulgarians even bigger. On the other hand, this act shows the value system of a certain community. When certain values cultivated through personalities or events are extracted from the past, then through them the present value and ideological position is defined, as well as the vision towards the future of a community. And when, despite the existence of numerous other possibilities, values are extracted that belong to the dark side of history, then, of course, the message that is sent to the environment is also dark. Unfortunately, this act undermines and calls into question all other attempts to find a solution to the misunderstandings between Macedonia and Bulgaria. In this way, the diminishing and quieter voices of reason on both sides are being stifled and the last hopes for a decent dialogue are being dashed. Even sadder is the fact that the culture is abused, one of the few bridges between the two nations, says Dragi Gjorgiev.