Macedonia

By: Tamara La Martina

 Overview

Total area is 25,713 km2 (slightly larger

than state of Vermont)
Bordered by Albania, Serbia/Kosovo,
Bulgaria, and Greece
Completely landlocked since partitioned
after the First Balkan War by Bulgaria,
Greece, and Serbia; closest open water port
is in Thessalonica (Greece)
 Wide range of topographic, climatic, and Environment
vegetation regions; highest elevation is 2753m,
lowest is 50m
Sub-Mediterranean to alpine conditions
4 principle bodies of water: Vardar R, Lake
Ohrid, Lake Prespa, and Lake Dojran
37% covered by forest
Natural resources: chromium, lead, zinc,
manganese, tungsten, low grade iron ore,
asbestos, sulfur and arable land
Area of high seismic
activity
Water shortage problems esp. in
east
Topography of Macedonia
 Population

Population is approx. 2.1

million

West most highly populated:

39% of pop. Lives in area,
which makes up 43% of
total land area; 18.5% of
pop. lives in east

Largest cities are: Skopje

(capital) Bitola, Tetovo,
Kumanovo, Veles, Prilep,
Stip, Strumica, Ohrid
Ethnicity and Religion

Titular majority is 67% of total population

Large ethnic Albanian minority is approx.

23%

Also small Turkish, Roma, and Serbian

minorities

Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%,

Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%

2/3 of pop. are Orthodox, 30% Muslims

(Albanians and Turks), 0.5% Catholic, and
2.8% other
 One of the poorest and Economy and Industry
most underdeveloped
countries in Europe;
forced industrialization
during communist era

Instability and conflict

caused the economy to
shrink after
independence

Primary exports: food,

beverages, tobacco,
misc. manufactured
items, iron and steel

Agriculture and tourism

also important to
economy
 History of the Macedonian Question
Question came to the forefront in the 19 th century as the Ottoman Empire was
crumbling and nationalism in the Balkans was growing

One of the greatest diplomatic concerns facing the Great Powers in the 19 th c.

The Question was Who are the Macedonians ethnically? and Who has the
strongest claim to the territory?

Bulgarians claimed that Macedonians were ethnically Bulgarian and the land should
be theirs since it was the site of the first independent Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Serbians claimed that Skopje was the capital of Stefan Dusans medieval empire and
therefore the heartland of their ethnic territory

Greeks made the claim that Macedonians were Slavic-speaking Greeks and that
Philip II and Alexander the Great were Greeks

Question became pertinent again after the breakup of Yugoslavia

 Ancient History of
Macedonia
Philip II (359-336 B.C.);
expanded Macedonian territory
to include Greece; assassinated
in 336 B.C.
Alexander IIIotherwise
known as The Great (336-
323 B.C.); expanded
Macedonian empire to include
territories to the Indus R. in
India, Egypt, and along the
western coast of Black Sea
Macedonias big (and maybe
only) claim to fame!
Modern Greeks try to say
Alexander and Macedonians
were Greeks, but ancients
thought they were barbarians
 Medieval Empires
Byzantine, Bulgarian, and Serbian Empires

Brought Orthodoxy, Cyrillic alphabet, and feudal society

Feudalism caused tribal clans to lose independence and

turned them into serfs; feudal lords mostly of Greek and
Armenian descent

Autonomous Bulgarian Orthodox Church established in

Ohrid (free from Greek patriarch) and the capital of the
Western Bulgarian Kingdom under Samuil
 Ottoman Rule
Turks began rule in 1394 which continued until 1912

Change in Demographics and religion

Incursion of Ottoman army caused many Slavs to

flee; Ottomans settled Turks, Albanians, and Ladino
Jews in place of Slavs

Albanians used as landlords and administrators; part

of origin of modern hostility between Macedonians
and Albanians

Macedonian (Bulgarian) Orthodox Church placed

under Greek patriarch and Hellenization
 1800s
Some Balkan countries gain autonomy or
independence, but not Macedonia

After Russo-Turkish War (1878), Treaty of San

Stefano gave most of Macedonia to Bulgaria

Great Powers disagreed with this decision and

Macedonia was given back to Turks by Congress of
Berlin

During late 1800s Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia try

to gain influence in Macedonia through schools,
religion, and language. Leads to what is called the
Macedonian Question
Balkan Wars 1912-1913
First Balkan War
Bulgaria, Greece,
Montenegro, and
Serbia fight Ottomans
for Balkan areas
remaining under
Turkish rule and
succeed in their effort

Second Balkan War

Former allies fight over
the gained territory;
Serbia gets Vardar
(Modern) Macedonia,
Greece gets Aegean
Macedonia, and
Bulgaria left with small
Pirin area
 World War II
Bulgaria for the third time since First Balkan War gains control almost all of
Macedonia by joining the Germans and kicked out again after their side loses
again.

Josip Tito, attracted many Macedonians with promises of reuniting the three
areas of Macedonia after the war; never accomplished but Communists
continue to fight to regain Aegean and Perin Macedonia until defeated in 1950
Yugoslavia Tito failed to unite regions of Macedonia, but
1944-1990
Created a Macedonian republic in the Vardar
Macedonia region

First to recognize Macedonians as a distinct

ethnic and political entity; standard language
adopted; history of area reinterpreted, and
autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church was
established in 1958

Encouragement of Macedonian Nationalism as a

tool against the Bulgarians and Greeks
claims on the territory

Poured money into the area for educational and

economic advancement
 Independence
In 1990 Communism collapsed in Yugoslavia
Sept. 8, 1991, Yugoslav Macedonia held a referendum in which 95%
voted for independence (Serbian and Albanian minorities boycotted the
referendum); seceded in November
New country led by Kiro Gligorov (1991-1999)
Power divided between the Macedonian majority party the Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization and the Ethnic Albanian-
Democratic Party for Macedonia (VMRO-DPMNE) and Democratic
Party of Albanians (DPA)
Greatest challenge to the new state has
been the transition and stabilization of its
economy, gaining recognition from its
neighbors, and ethnic conflicts
 The Modern Question
Greece is upset because of the use of the name Macedonia, several
clauses in its constitution, and because of its flag; thought the new
govt had irredentist ambitions on Greek Aegean Macedonian
province

August 1991 Greece closed its border to Macedonia and imposed

an oil embargo, which crippled the Macedonian economy

Old Flag Current Flag

 Recognition by EU and UN

Macedonia changed several clauses in its

constitution on Dec. 26 to fit EUs criteria for
recognition; no territorial claims on other
countries and renounced meddling in other
countries affairs
On Jan. 15 Germany recognized Slovenia and
Croatia, but not Macedonia or Bosnia
Why? Internal tensions w/ ethnic Albanians high
and Greece had blocked recognition of Macedonia
because Macedonians govt wouldnt change
name and flag
 Recognition contd.
Dec. 10, 1992 Greek demonstration in Athens
against recognition of Macedonia, +million people
participated
Dec. 11 UN Security Council sent a peacekeeping
force to Macedonia, fearing the spread of Balkan
War
April 8, 1993 Macedonia was admitted to UN
against the wishes of Greece and Yugoslavia, but
had to use the provisional name The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; EU also
extended recognition; 300 American and 150
Canadian troops protected the borders
Decision on name still pending.
Macedonian Protests
 Propaganda From Both Sides
Both sides of the Question began a propaganda
campaign

Greeks have picked up where they left off in the

19th c.

Macedonians Slavs defending their distinct

ethnicity and history

Historians of Ancient Greece have also picked up

the unsolvable question of who are the
Macedonians? answer still in limbo.
Hellenized Macedonian
History
 The Macedonian Viewpoint

Pirin
Vardar

Aegean

Macedonia before and after the partitions of the

Balkan Wars
 Origins Of The Conflict

Hostilities going back to Ottoman Empire, when

Albanian Muslims were the overlords
Ethnic Albanian minority calling for a greater
rights
Some call for secession of Albanian majority areas
Possibility of Macedonias leaders starting conflict
to hide theft of state-owned enterprises and assets
 The Conflict
Feb. 2001 armed ethnic Albanians took
Tetovo; said they were members of the
National Liberation Army (NLA); said they
wanted more political and economic rights;
govt said they were trying to divide the
country along ethnic lines

Struggle between NLA and govt lasted for

seven months; 200 killed, 180 000 displaced

US and Europe sent diplomats who helped

forge a peace agreement at Ohrid on August 13
 National Liberation Army
Many of core members
were part of the
disbanded Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA)
Searching for Greater
Albania (Kosovo); led
by Ali Ahmeti
Also sought to get rid of
the corrupt DPA
NLA/ANA Propaganda
Population stats according to
ANA:
-8 mill. Albanians and
800,000 Macedonian Slavs
-actual world-wide # of
Albanians= 5 mill.
ROM census and CIA:
-2 mill. Citizens
:66.6% (1,378,687)
Macedonians
:22.7% (478,967) Albanians
 A Tentative Peace

Sept. 24, 2001 Framework Agreement ratified in Ohrid; removed

distinction of Macedonians as countrys constituent nation from
constitutions preamble
Ohrid Agreement, adopted by ROMs legislature Nov.16, 2001; provided
for equal representation of minorities in administration, language rights,
strengthening of local govt, reintegration of territory captured by NLA,
return of refugees, and an internationally supervised census
Slow in being implemented by there are some signs of hope
 2003
European Union is taking
over for NATO Peacekeeping
forces by the end of April

320 troops, if successful in

Macedonia, will take over in
Bosnia next year

Small protest in Skopje