Macedonia observes Monday Republic Day – the 118th anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising and the 77th anniversary of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM).

Top state officials will pay their respects as part of several Republic Day observances across the country, including Prime Minister Zoran Zaev addressing a ceremony in Pelince, Speaker Talat Xhaferi delivering speeches at Skopje events and President Stevo Pendarovski attending an event in Krushevo.

Pendarovski has announced he will not deliver a political speech in an attempt to introduce different Ilinden celebrations to herald national unity. At a press briefing last week, he said that he had invited to the central event in Krushevo at 6 pm state officials and the leaders of all parliamentary parties.

Pendarovski is expected to have a two-minute video address at Mechkin Kamen to mark Republic Day. Ilinden events at Meckin Kamen in the past, according to him, have served to divide the people rather than unite them, he told the press briefing.

PM Zaev along several government ministers and DUI leader Ali Ahmeti will attend the event.

VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski declined the invitation, saying traditionally he will be at the village of Tasmarunishta near Struga on August 2. Mickoski called Pendarovski-initiated concept of Ilinden observance “an improvised celebration of the biggest holiday of the Macedonian people, which according to the Krusevo Manifest is also a holiday of all our fellow countrymen regardless of their ethnic origin.”

In a statement reacting to Mickoski’s statement, President Pendarovski said he was unpleasantly surprised accusing the opposition leader of demonstrating disrespect towards the country’s heroes.

Ilinden Uprising was announced by church bells in Krusevo on the eve of St. Elijah Day in 1903. Around 800 insurgents liberated the town. Two days later, Nikola Karev declared himself the president of the Krushevo Republic. The republic was free for ten days before being quelled by Ottoman troops.

Pitu Guli, one of the most prominent fighters, was killed during shootouts with the Ottoman army. It ultimately marked the end of the Krusevo Republic.

Forty-one years after the Ilinden Uprising, 115 delegates held the first session of the Antifascist Assembly of the Macedonia’s National Liberation (ASNOM), whereat the social and legal status of Macedonia was determined as a constituent country as part of the future Yugoslav federation. Members of the ASNOM presidency were elected with Metodija Andonov-Chento as its president.

The first ASNOM session saw the passage of several documents of constitutional importance, including resolution on the introduction of Macedonian language as the country’s official language and the Declaration of the Basic Rights of Men and Citizens of Democratic Macedonia.