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СЕ КОЛНАМ ВО ИМЕТО ГОСПОДОВО
ДЕКА ЌЕ БИДАМ ВЕРEН НА ЗАКЛЕТВАТА НАША
СЛОБОДА ИЛИ СМРТ!!!
АКО ЈА ПРЕКРШАМ
ДА БИДАМ КАЗНЕТ ОД ОРУЖЈЕТО ШТО СТОИ ПРЕД МЕНЕ

The names "Macedonia" and "Macedonians" have been in existence, survived throughout the history, and at the same time negated. The struggle concerning the legitimacy over the territory of Macedonia is in close connection with these names.

The Macedonian people have been formed, within the frames of geographic and historical ground of Macedonia, in a continuity of developing process (tribe, people, nation). It has acquired the legitimacy over the territory of Macedonia and became the inheritor of all historical and cultural traditions and values. The region has carrying out the name of Macedonia through centuries, as its ethnic and historically legitimate name.

The struggle for national liberty

The existence of the Macedonian nation was permanently disturbing the neighbouring countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Albania). The common attitude in their policy was the unrecognizing of the existence of the Macedonian nation, language and state. These states, especially after the partition of Macedonia in 1913 and 1919, were endeavouring to denationalize the Macedonian people.

This denationalization was opposed by the Macedonian people from all parts of Macedonia under the foreign authorities, leading the struggle for national liberty and its own state. Led by the national organizations and the Communist Party, the Macedonian people were struggling for the Macedonian national and official name.
On October 8, 1912, the First Balkan War begun. Montenegro,Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece, attacked the European positions of the Ottoman Empire. More than 100,000 Macedonians also took active part and contributed in driving the Turks out of Macedonia. Turkey capitulated soon, but Macedonia did not free itself. The victorious Balkan kingdoms, convened in Bucharest in August 1913 to divide the spoils.

New border
Greece was awarded Aegean Macedonia and renamed it to "Northern Greece". Bulgaria annexed Pirin Macedonia and abolished the Macedonian name. Serbia took over Vardar Macedonia and renamed it to "Southern Serbia". The same year, N. Pasich of Serbia and E. Venizelos of Greece agreed on the newly formed Greek-Serbian (later Yugoslavian) border. They decided there would be "only Serbs to the North and only Greeks to the South", and no "Macedonians" on either side. Thus, the politics to assimilate the Macedonians of Aegean Macedonia had already begun.
Since 1913, official Greece has been trying to banish native Macedonian names of villages, towns, cities, rivers, and lakes in Aegean Macedonia. For example, the little stream which issues from Mount Olympus and flows into the Aegean Sea is labelled Mavroneri ("black water") on the maps, made by Greek cartographers after 1913. However, the same river appears as Crna Reka, a native Macedonian name meaning "black river" on the maps, made before 1913. Kukush has been dropped for Kilkis and Serres for Serai, together with at least 300 other places all over Macedonia.
The Macedonians were also forced to renounce their native family names and use only new "Greek-sounding" names. During the dictatorship of General Metaxis between 1935 and 1941, the Macedonians were exposed to brutal oppression. The Macedonian language was forbidden, despite the fact under the supervision of the League of Nations.

Greece recognized for the first time Macedonian existence as distinct language, when it published the primer "Abecedar" for the needs of the Macedonian children in 1924. A stormy and violent reaction followed in the Greek press of the three monarchies and the Greek government decided not to introduce the primer, which was already published into Macedonian schools.

Punish for speaking
In the 1930's, the Macedonians in Greece were punished for speaking of their native language and were persecuted for expressing of their national identity. Yet, despite the persecution the Macedonians never abandoned their nationality.
In 1995, Human Rights Watch - Helsinki/ Finland was a witness, that even today the Macedonians are forbidden to carry their first and last Macedonian names.
USA, Russia, China and 109 other countries, have recognised Macedonia under its chosen name; the Republic of Macedonia. It signifies the affirmation of the historical legitimacy and the continuity, of the Macedonian nation and state.

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