Commission on Historical Affairs Legitimizes Concept of Fictional "Common History"
The Macedonian-Bulgarian commission for historical and educational issues should contribute to an objective interpretation of historical events and persons based on authentic historical sources, but the commission has been causing controversy since its inception. From the very beginning, there were hints of politicization of the commission, and the wider Macedonian public resented the commission's work due to the constant messages arriving from Sofia that Macedonian historical, linguistic and cultural peculiarities did not exist before 1944.
Controversies intensified when Prof. Dr. Vancho Gjorgjiev resigned as a member of the commission due to certain political pressures, and things became even more complicated with the second bilateral protocol and the adoption of the so-called French proposal, because Macedonian European integration processes depend on the decisions of the historical commission, and this causes a hazy and unclear idea of the European procedure itself.
Controversies in continuity
The debatability does not end with the above, but one must also take into account the constant request for a "common history" between the Macedonian and Bulgarian people, as well as certain hints that the Bulgarian view of Macedonian history should be properly stipulated in the Macedonian history textbooks, in the sense that the medieval Macedonian ruler Samoil is a Bulgarian king or the Ohrid archdiocese is a Bulgarian church.
All this causes negative reactions in the Macedonian society, and criticisms and condemnations of the commission's activities were expressed by the Macedonian scientific community, as well as by a large number of experts and intellectuals.
In this connotation, many intellectuals, experts and analysts from the so-called "Moral court - Macedonian truth", a citizen's initiative aimed at protecting the Macedonian identity, but also determining the moral responsibility of public office holders who, with their actions, violate Macedonian national dignity and the expectations and feelings of Macedonian citizens, as well as the neglect of public opinion and exposed criticism in Macedonian society.
Regarding these activities, the analyst Sotir Kostov says that they aim to awaken the consciousness, and especially the conscience, of the Macedonians, who are under attack on all grounds in terms of name, identity, culture and history, both by international intruders and some neighbors, as well as from domestic stakeholders.
- We form, Macedonian manifesto formed Macedonian court, Macedonian truth. We condemn morally because in a period when we are morally eroding as a state and community, we appreciate that we are doing the right thing because we think that history should not be a servant of politics. This commission does exactly that. History is written at historical symposia, congresses, public scientific tribunes, etc., and not at the dictates of politicians - says analyst Sotir Kostov.
Specifically for the historical commission, the intellectuals and experts from the mentioned citizens' initiative believe that the Macedonian members in the joint historical commission have an inadequate attitude towards the execution of the tasks entrusted to them by the Macedonian government, and yet they accepted to work on establishing the basis for a common history with Bulgaria and brought recommendations for joint celebration of historical figures and events.
- Aware of their incompetence and lack of professional training, as well as the harmful consequences of their recommendations, aware of the anger of experts and the general public, they hid their recommendations for three whole years, not having the courage to face the public. Quite consciously, they deliberately ignored the scientific historical facts of the Macedonian history on this topic and did not consult with the experts on medieval history - they point out from the mentioned citizen's initiative.
The historical commission interprets history in a Bulgarian-centric way
The "Moral court - Macedonian truth" also recalled the reactions and revolt of experts and the general public after the publication of the recommendations of the joint commission, as well as the fact that more than 100 doctors of science, including 12 academicians, addressed the public in writing and rejected the recommendations as null and void.
- The recommendations revise Macedonian and regional Balkan history, which is why they deviate from the principle of scientificity and ethics. Bilateral recommendations for a history that is of a multilateral and unilateral character cannot be formalized as a "common" Bulgarian-Macedonian history. Recommendations promote a method of biased interpretation of historical facts, persons, events and processes that are significant for multiple peoples, cultures, states and eras. In the recommendations, Macedonian, South Slavic, general Slavic and Balkan history are interpreted in a Bulgarian-centric way, thus deviating from established scientific knowledge in Macedonian, Slavic and Balkan studies. Macedonian history is a sovereign interest of the Republic of Macedonia, so it should retain the right to its own scientific and official interpretation, emphasizes the "Moral court - Macedonian truth".
The intellectuals and experts from the mentioned citizen initiative also point out that they consulted some of the greatest experts on medieval history, as well as other relevant specialists and doctors of science. Among other things, the mentioned specialists pointed out that through the historical commission, the political concept of a kind of invented "common history" is legitimized and exploited for identity denial of the existence of the Macedonian people and language.
From the "Moral court - Macedonian truth" they believe that the revision of history, changing textbooks and the joint celebration of historical figures and events at the dictate of another state are absolutely unacceptable and they consider them a gross interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Macedonia, which threatens sovereignty. Historical and cultural heritage and the writing of history and textbooks are the sovereign right of every state.
