The Zaev Government is using the September 8th celebration like it did the Ilinden Uprising celebration last month – to divide the people along ideological lines, said former Diaspora Minister Martin Trenevski. Macedonia celebrates the 30th anniversary of its independence, but the divisions from the 2015 Colored Revolution persist and many resented the decision by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to use the imposed name “North Macedonia” throughout the celebration.

I have a feeling of bitterness and anger today. The current Government of Macedonia privatized the event, is organizing a private celebration, and does not even think that we should all be part of this beautiful occasion. Whether deliberately or not, it ended up dividing the people again, Trenevski during a round table organized by VMRO-DPMNE in Bitola today. Trenevski wore one of the shirts printed in 1991 to promote the referendum for independence. He also pointed to the decision of President Pendarovski to award the members of the 1991 Parliament, but not the members of the first Government, likely because it included a number of future top VMRO-DPMNE officials.

A month ago, the celebration of the Ilinden Uprising was also tarnished when President Stevo Pendarovski decided to cancel the traditional mass gathering and did not hold the customary address.