The Macedonian Patriotic Organization elected a new President who immediately issued a call for reconciliation between Macedonia and Bulgaria. The North America diaspora organization, long considered a staunch supporter of Bulgarian positions in the historic dispute with Macedonia, is now leading calls to put an end to the dispute, after, in 2023, it opened its doors for members who identify as ethnic Macedonians, or a number of variations such as Macedonian Bulgarians.

The Macedonian Patriotic Organization is a 103 years old institution committed to the uniting of all Macedonians, regardless of their ethnicities and regardless of how they self-identify. The only thing required is a Macedonian consciousness and a respect for how each of us self-identifies. We are all one people, one “family” in spite of our differences. Reconciliation is now our main mission, said Toronto based MPO activist Nick Stefanoff, who was elected as President of the Organization, which was born out of VMRO.

To further emphasize the point, representatives from the United Macedonian Diaspora, which has often taken diametrically opposite views from MPO, were present at the Grand Rapids, MI convention, that marked MPO’s 103rd anniversary.

MPO has long worked towards an independent Macedonia and for the Macedonian people, and many of its long-standing members are also UMD members. I am grateful to the hosts for their wonderful hospitality and for the constructive conversations that will lead all Macedonians toward Macedonian unity and unification, said Gordan Jordanov, UMD director for Macedonia and Europe.

In a recent declaration, MPO called on Macedonia to quickly amend its Constitution and include the Bulgarian community in it – which is a key demand of Bulgaria. MPO also called for Bulgaria to recognize the Macedonian community within its own borders, as well as to finally allow Macedonia to open its EU accession talks. The organization holds to its position that the leaders of the Macedonian liberation movement were Bulgarians, but is also calling for a broader understanding of the national identity and acknowledges their Macedonian consciousness.

In Grand Rapids, MPO delegates reviewed several political declarations which have still not been made public. Pro-Bulgarian news outlets empahsize that the declarations will repeat the call on Macedonia to amend its Constitution.