Zoran Zaev confirmed today his intent to rewrite Macedonian history books, to erase all mention of the Fascist nature of the Bulgarian occupation during the Second World War. It’s one of the key demands of Bulgaria, as it continues to block Macedonia from opening EU accession talks.

The friendly nation of Bulgaria is being linked with the Fascist occupiers. Nowhere in Europe is the name of the nation mentioned in the context of being Fascist occupiers, and in the spirit of friendship, cooperation and good neighborly relations, we expect that this will be done. There are also some issues with the Bulgarian history books, and they are prepared to act as well. That is how we become good neighbors, Zaev said.

Bulgaria allied with Germany in the Second World War largely motivated by the desire to seize Macedonia and other lands in the Balkans, but switched sides and jointed the Soviet Union in 1944. Macedonian Communists waged a partisan war against Bulgaria, in what is termed the Anti-Fascist movement, and Zaev’s SDSM party is the formal heir to this movement, but as in other portions of history, Zaev is prepared to rewrite it in line with demands from neighboring countries.