Bulgarian diplomats in the US managed to get the state of Michigan to rescind its decision to declare September – Macedonian American Heritage Month.

As soon as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the declaration, after demands from the large Macedonian community in this state, Bulgarian activists began a campaign to have the symbolic move revoked. The pressure was eventually successful, and the list of numerous events that are honored in September no longer has the Macedonian entry. The Governor’s declaration, which praised the Macedonian Americans for their success in business, sports, art, politics and other areas, has been scrubbed from her website.

The United Macedonian Diaspora, which pushed for the initial declaration, said that it is forced to seek help from the FBI after the relentless pressure from teh Bulgarian authorities. “It is clear that the next demand from Bulgaria will be that we renounce the Macedonin diaspora in the US, which loudly protects the rights of the Macedonians. Sadly, the propaganda of the Bulgarian diaspora is stronger”, UMD said.