A group of scholars and historians issued a joint call to the European Union and the United States to put an end to the Bulgarian demands and blackmail against Macedonia. Bulgaria is blocking Macedonia from opening its EU accession talks as it demands changes to the Macedonian Constitution and accepted historic narrative.

Even in the 21st century, a time of broad human rights and liberties, the “Macedonian Question” remains in the focus of the European Union and the United States, as evident in the EU negotiating framework for Macedonia. Broadly supported by Brussels, Bulgaira is unscrupulously blocking Macedonia’s strive for EU membership. It’s policy is based on two national strategy documents, from 1997 and 1998, which contain a pronounced national-chauvinistic attitude toward Macedonia and outline the greater-state Bulgarian claims on the Republic of Macedonia. Bulgaria denies the existence of the Macedonian people, the Macedonian language, history and culture. It denies the Macedonian national identity.. It is natural and necessary that we see strong resistance from the Maecdonians and all citizens of Macedonia against the introduction of the Bulgarians in the Constitution. The Union is used by Bulgaria as a tool to advance their chauvinistic doctrine, to erase the Macedonians as a separate nation. We can’t accept that part of the Bulgarian nation is declared a constituent nation of Macedonia, given that the contemporary Macedonian state was created precisely in the struggle against the Bulgarian fascists, the letter, signed by 80 distinguished scholars, notes.

The letter provides that the changes can be acceptable, but only on reciprocal basis – if Bulgaria also includes the hundreds of thousands of Macedonians who live there in its own Constitution. The letter is signed by Mihajlo Minoski, Vlado Popovski, Jovan Lazarov, Violeta Ackovska, Todor Cepreganov and many others.