Nikola Gruevski warned Bulgaria that it risks undermining relations between Macedonians and Bulgarians, as it pushes for official recognition of the Bulgarian character of historic icons like Goce Delcev. The former Macedonian Prime Minister and VMRO leader, who is now in political exile in Hungary, wrote a lengthy essay on the deteriorating relations between the two countries, as Bulgaria raised the threat of vetoing Macedonia’s EU accession talks unless Macedonian historians accept the Bulgarian position on Delcev.

I will not hide that I have highly positive affections toward the Bulgarian people, despite my unfair portrayal as their enemy in segments of their political and media propaganda. I have never uttered an ill chosen word about Bulgaria, publicly or privately, unless if you judge me for promoting the truth, justice and interests of my own people – the Macedonians. I even don’t feel any anger toward their politicians who would openly and fiercely attack me, fighting for their cause but also to score political points, and trying to win votes by clumsily using history. That was a poor strategy on their part. Seems like all the accumulated frustrations from the pressures and humiliations which other, greater and stronger powers exerted on them, they now want to pour over Macedonia. When politicians take over the history and use it for political and partisan goals, aiming to insult and deny the other, that is not friendly behavior. We should be helping each other and not taking advantage when one of us finds himself in a tight spot. That does not serve the declared goals of the friendship treaty. There is nothing European in their strategy. It is unsustainable in the long term and will not be accepted by the Macedonians of the Republic of Macedonia, despite all the efforts. It will only drive us further apart, instead of bringing us closer. They could’ve acted more wisely, Gruevski writes in his remarks.

Gruevski notes that the current Macedonian Government is prepared to accept anything and everything put before it. He details how the Zaev – Borisov treaty, signed in August 2017, was about to be signed by Zaev months before, but he was warned to wait, and leave the impression in the public of some kind of negotiations going on between the two states.

The treaty created a mechanism under which historians from both countries meet and prepare a jointly acceptable historic narrative. The recent Bulgarian threat of veto put the process in clear perspective, about what happens Macedonia refuses to accept the narrative, as talks broke down over Goce Delcev’s ethnic background.

Did you really think that SDSM were not aware that it will come to this when they signed the treaty with Bulgaria? The goal of the treaty was clear from the start. It is named a friendship treaty to make it sound European, although treaties with similar names are well known from the Communist era. Our neighbors never concealed that fact that the historic narrative comes first for them. The puppet Government clearly accepted its role, and is willing to work for foreign interests, against those of their nation and people, just so they will be allowed to remain in power, steal and extort money from businesses. All who oppose them are declared terrorists, criminals, corrupt, liars, fascists, who need to be imprisoned, because they reveal the ugly face of the regime which the people also see, Gruevski writes.

In his remarks, Gruevski points out that Delcev clearly had a poor relationship with the Bulgarian authorities and frequently fought with armed groups funded by Bulgaria. His declaration to be a Bulgarian, at a time when national identity was being forged, Gruevski writes, is in the context of the Ottoman system which only allowed the Bulgarian church to operate in the region of Macedonia, as a counter-weight to the Greek church.

The Constitutions of VMRO state that the Organization fights for the autonomy of Macedonia and Edrene, without mentioning the Bulgarian ethnicity. Article 2 clearly states that the Organization is opposed to the partition and take-over of these regions by any other country. This includes Bulgaria. Delcev was active on the ground, organizing his network, procuring weapons. All the weapons obtained from Bulgaria were BOUGHT, with actual money. Macedonia and Bulgaria are, clearly, two close peoples in many regards. If we could exempt daily politics and the media propaganda, we could say that they are the closest people to our own. But we can’t and we must not deny the uniqueness of the Macedonian people from the Bulgarian people, today as in the past, Gruevski writes.

The former Prime Minister predicts that the Zaev – Borisov treaty, as imposed against the will of the people, will ultimately fail. He warns that Bulgaria won’t have the edge over Macedonia provided by its NATO and EU membership, as Macedonia gets closer to join both institutions, and notes that the treaty was approved with mere 61 votes in Parliament.

Anything is possible on a matter which creates a feeling of injustice and being blackmailed among the majority of the people. Friends don’t treat friends this way. If they do, they are wrong, Gruevski adds.