Socialist Republic of Macedonia

The **Socialist Republic of Macedonia** (), was one of the six constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and a nation state of the Macedonians. After becoming a parliamentary democracy in 1990, the Republic changed its name to the Republic of Macedonia in 1991. , As Yugoslavia began to break up, it declared independence and held a referendum on September 8, 1991, approving a sovereign Macedonia with the option to join alliances with Yugoslav states.

SR Macedonia was a landlocked republic in Yugoslavia, bordering Albania to the west, Greece to the south, and Bulgaria to the east. Within Yugoslavia, it bordered SR Serbia (including SAP Kosovo) to the north.

## Background 
The first Macedonian state, called Democratic Federal Macedonia,was officially declared during World War II at the First Plenary Session of ASNOM. It was secretly established on August 2, 1944, in the Bulgarian-occupied zone of Yugoslavia at the Prohor Pčinjski Monastery (now in Serbia). This date, also marking the 1903 Ilinden Uprising against Ottoman rule, is now celebrated as Republic Day in North Macedonia.

After the Bulgarian Army withdrew under Soviet pressure on September 8, pro-German nationalists from the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization declared a puppet state. In October, Bulgaria’s new pro-Soviet government sent its army back into Yugoslavia to stop the German retreat from Greece In early October, under the leadership of the new Bulgarian pro-Soviet government, the Bulgarian Army re-entered Yugoslavia to block the German forces in their withdrawal from Greece. In Macedonia the Bulgarians fought side-by-side with the fighters of the People's Liberation Army of Macedonia.

In late November 1944, the Vardar Banovina was liberated from German forces and their allies, allowing ASNOM to begin operating in December. However, anti-communist Albanian nationalists in Western Macedonia resisted Yugoslav Partisan control, attempting to keep the region out of communist Yugoslavia.  It wasn’t until early 1945 that the Partisans fully secured the mountainous area.

After the war, the future of Yugoslavia was uncertain. The Partisans envisioned it as a “Democratic Federation” with six federal states.  On 29 November 1945, Tito became Prime Minister, and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was officially declared, with its constitution taking effect in 1946. As part of this, Macedonia was renamed the People’s Republic of Macedonia and became a Yugoslav republic.

People suspected of being pro-Bulgarian (often actually pro-independence or anti-Yugoslav) were removed from positions, arrested, and imprisoned on false charges. Many were executed, including during the Bloody Christmas of 1945. Estimates of the victims range from 1,200 to 50,000, including those imprisoned, deported, or forced into labor. Further purges occurred after the Tito–Stalin split. 

In 1945, the Macedonian language was officially codified, and the first publishing house, “Prosvetno Delo,” was established on 16 April. The new republic was based on the territory of Vardar Banovina, part of the larger Macedonia region, which was divided among several countries. Some Macedonian politicians advocated for a “United Macedonia,” including Aegean and Pirin Macedonia. The Yugoslav government sometimes supported or suppressed this idea depending on political circumstances.

Some opposed Yugoslavia’s federal structure and wanted more independence, leading to persecution. One prominent victim was Metodija Andonov-Čento, Macedonia’s first president. To eliminate Bulgarophile influences, the Yugoslav communists promoted Macedonian identity through a process of nation-building and cultural transformation. 

## Constitution
:Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, 1974 – Official Gazette 

The Socialist Republic of Macedonia was a nation-state for Macedonians and also included its ethnic minorities. It had some powers usually held by independent countries. The Constitution allowed for self-determination and secession. The borders could only be changed by the republic's parliament. People in Macedonia had both Yugoslav citizenship and a special Macedonian citizenship for local matters.
The republic had its own constitution, government, parliament, official language, state symbols, and institutions like the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Interior Ministry, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It also had its own Territorial Defence armed forces.
### System
The Socialist Republic of Macedonia was a one-party communist state ruled by the League of Communists of Macedonia. As part of Yugoslavia, it followed a neutral foreign policy and had a more liberal form of communism, based on Titoism and workers' self-management.

### Minorities 
Macedonians were the majority and one of the nations in SFR Yugoslavia, but the rights of ethnic minorities were protected by the Constitution. Macedonian was the official language, though Albanians and Turks could use their own languages in schools and media. The Constitution defined SR Macedonia as both a national state for Macedonians and a state for Albanians and Turks.

From the start of Yugoslav rule, there were accusations that authorities punished those who opposed the new Macedonian identity. The number of victims from organized killings of Bulgarians is unclear, but Bulgarian sources claim thousands were killed, and over 100,000 were imprisoned under the "Law for the Protection of Macedonian National Honor." 

### Religion 
Although the communist government discouraged religion, it allowed some religious freedom. The Macedonian Orthodox Church declared independence in 1967 and was permitted to exist. In 1972, construction began on St. Clement of Ohrid, the largest Orthodox church in Skopje. Other religious groups, including Muslims, Catholics, and Protestants, were also allowed to maintain their places of worship and organizations.

## References