From: bliznako@envmsa.eas.asu.edu (Bliznakov, Plamen)
Subject: Articles on Macedonian question
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 01:06:00 GMT

There was a series of articles about current developments in Macedonian
questions and its influence on the situation in Bulgaria in the issue of
the one of the most popular independent Bulgarian weekly newspapers 168
Hours of November 17, 1992. I'll try to translate at least part of this 
articles. Please, take into account the date of publications: it was before
the Bulgarian government was changed, before the elections in Yugoslavia,
and before Bulgarian consulate was opened in Skopje. The articles show some
of the different opinions on the issue. 

Comments in brackets <...> are mine. 

The translation is without the copyright holder's permit and for the 
benefit of the readers of this newsgroup only.

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The Prime-Minister Received First Place in the Big Hurry

Despite its own decision the Council of Ministers didn't wait for Stoyan Ganev
and recognized Macedonia

At 7 p.m. on January 15 <, 1992> the meeting of the government on 
recognition of Macedonia was completed. From the conference room it was 
continued at the office of Filip Dimitrov <former Prime Minister> and was 
completed by a principle decision. According to participants, it was saying 
that Bulgaria will recognize Macedonia, but return  of Stoyan Ganev
<Foreign Minister at that time> from abroad should be waited for. After the
end part of the ministers left. "At the moment when I was leaving the 
Council of Ministers, Mr. Mishev <Prime-Minister's advisor> and Mr. Sokolov 
<Interior Minister> took the position that the recognition should not be 
delayed," says a participant. And this is how it happened - in the entrance 
to the office, with active actions by Stefan Tafrov <President's advisor 
on foreign policy at that time> and agreement of Filip Dimitrov. It was 
decided that the same evening before Around the World and in the Country
<"Po sveta i u nas", the evening news of Channel 1 of Bulgarian TV at 8 
p.m.> directly from the parliament a declaration would be read.

The issue was discussed months before that. Even before the departure of 
Stoyan Ganev there was a decision, that Macedonia will be recognized, 
without specifying when. On January 15 the problem in the Commission on
National  Security <of the Parliament>, and in the government is just one- 
when exactly. Finally, not without the help of Yordan Vasilev- then Chair
of the Commission, and Alexander Yordanov- president of the parliamentary 
group of UDF, who also arrived to the cabinet meeting, it was decided to 
wait for the foreign minister. 

Despite that Macedonia was recognized the same evening. Some of the 
participants in the meeting give credit for that to Kosyo Mishev, others -
to the undeclared competition between the President <Jelev> and Filip
Dimitrov for the dividends of the recognition of Macedonia. Filip Dimitrov
announced first. Jelev ranked <"se klasira"> half an hour later. Stefan
Tafrov lost his position. Kosyo Mishev remained in his. Bulgaria was the
first in the world to recognize Macedonia. Nobody understood what did we
win by these several hours.

Ivaylo Danailov

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If Miloshevich Wins, Macedonia will Loose

The conflict may be avoided if the independence of the former Yugoslav 
republic is recognised, thinks Stoyan Boyadjiev, president of VMRO-SMD

Since the end of World War II Albanians are being moved to Macedonia, 
because of the better economic situation there. Later new move from Kosovo 
with more money (having worked abroad). They buy land and houses. The birth 
rate is tremendous and gradually a demographic danger for Macedonia is 
created. Currently Albanians are somewhere between 20-25 % of the 
population. "Not long ago it was decided to approve the citizenship law. 
VMRO-DPMNE was insisting that one had to live 30 years in Macedonia to 
get a citizenship and therefore right to buy real estate, the Albanians 
wanted 5 years. The new government of Branko Crvenkovski (by the way, his 
father is among the highest ranks in Yugoslav army), in which there are 
7 ministers and 14 state advisors Albanians, after a long struggle managed 
to get the law approved with 15 years term. This way many Albanians obtain 
Macedonian citizenship and buy real estate. This is the social basis of the 
conflict here," - is the opinion of Mr. Stoyan Boyadjiev. According to him, 
now in Macedonia there are fears that if Miloshevich wins the battle in 
Bosnia, the scenario will be repeated in Kosovo. The case with Kosovo is a 
paradox - once it was clearly Serbian, without any Albanians. Gradually they 
have become 10 %, now they are 90 %. And in Macedonia there is an attempt 
to get it over by a foreign ethnographic element.

The authorities in Macedonia are tolerating the Albanians. Three months ago
in Veles three members of VMRO-DPMNE were charged for possessing arms
(bullets made of stone-works powder <"kamenarski barut"> which could be
used for fishing), in fact Bulgarian newspapers were found. 10-12 persons
were convicted to 6 months and up to 2.5 years in prison. Before the hearing
of their case, there was an Albanian with 11 pistols, 10 guns, 879 bullets,
a machine gun, and a transmitter found, but he was convicted to 20 days in
prison because he is Albanian. According to VMRO-SMD Albanians are
incorporated in the structure of the new government and get higher
self-confidence because they are factors in the management. An opinion
exists, that if Miloshevich decides to smash Macedonia, they are going to
play first violin. 

The solution, according to VMRO-SMD, is "Recognize Macedonia". This is what
they keep repeating for a year at international press-conferences. During
the last 15 days 4 ambassadors have visited VMRO-SMD. They admit 50 %
probability of Bulgarian involvement in a Balkan conflict. At the great
Macedonian meeting the Macedonian organizations stated that they do not
want modification <"prekrojavane"> of the borders but rather have them
lifted, so that the peninsula becomes more European. Last week Mr.
Boyadjiev was visited by Mr. Torrow <not sure about the spelling, I'm
translating this from Bulgarian>, the editor of Wall Street Journal for
Europe. He has a mission to study the Macedonian question, which already is
of high importance. To the call for division of Macedonia, which already
exists, Kiro Gligorov answered that he will contact <"shte se otnese do">
Turkey. Then the Balkan were will certainly become a reality <"e v ka^rpa
va^rzana">. To get involved, its <Turkish> army has to go through Bulgaria.
And one in each 4-5 Bulgarians is connected to Macedonia. When the war in
Croatia started, the Macedonia <newspaper of VMRO-SMD> published a volunteers 
wanted announcement. 300 people signed up for three days, and there will 
be thousands to go to Macedonia. 

What would an independent Macedonia bring to the Balkans ? This is the 
answer of Mr. Stoyan Boyadjiev: "The Balkans will get quite and the 
processes of de-nationalization will stop. 80 % of the people there want 
this, 20 % - the Albanians, dream of Great Albania.

We thought that the problems are going to be solved globally, but the 
situation in former Yugoslavia showed once again that each of the great 
powers has its own interests on the Balkans. We had talks with our people 
in America and they ensured us, that the situation is not that dangerous. 
They have 15 senators and still are starting to try to influence president 
Clinton and are going to work against <"shte si razmenyat shpagi"> with the 
Greek lobby".

Karmelita Deneva
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bulgaria