where?

Berlin: NOV 29

PARIS: DEC 6

brussels: DEC 15

In front of the North Macedonian Embassies in Berlin, Paris, and Brussels.

Hubertusallee 5 14193 Berlin, Germany

Place du Paraguay, 75016 Paris, France
‍
Rue de la Loi 38, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium

What?

Bulgaria is pushing for an end to the discrimination against the Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. Until now, Sofia has insisted on achieving a unified position on matters such as common history, the origin of the Macedonian language and the provision of guarantees against future territorial claims of the Republic of North Macedonia against Bulgaria.

The progress and solution of these issues depends exclusively on the policies of the Republic of North Macedonia, with which Bulgaria has repeatedly expressed its readiness to conduct a constructive and open dialogue. The Republic of North Macedonia is ready to include Bulgarians in its constitution on an equal footing with other nations, but that could only happen shortly before the country joins the European Union.

Bulgarian student unions based abroad are ready to ask the North Macedonian government and EU officials to stop 'fake' North Macedonian identity. The rallies are planned to take place in front of the North Macedonian embassies in Berlin, Paris, and Brussels.

Why?

The Republic of North Macedonia has been discriminating against individuals, who perceive themselves as Bulgarian or with a Bulgarian background or past. This has manifested itself in systematic job firings, unability to find employment, delayed or full-on restriction to public services, and more.

Recently, it was reported that people weren't given the option to assign themsleves as Bulgarian in the North Macedonian census, thus misrepresenting statistical data on the state of Bulgarian people in the Republic of North Macedonia.

There have been numerous reports on the systemic desecration of Bulgarian symbols, culture, and history, such as burnings of the Bulgarian flag, destroying Bulgarian soldiers' cemetery, 'faking' historical evidence, cultural appropriation, and more.

Further information can be found in the 'Media & Resources' section below.