Standing against the abuse of history in Northern Macedonia's EU integration process

Standing against the abuse of history in Northern Macedonia's EU integration process

Disagreements over history and historical symbols are once again an important political issue in Southeast Europe. In recent months, the Bulgarian government has threatened to block the opening of negotiations between Brussels and Skopje, demanding that Northern Macedonia accept the "historical truth" that Macedonian identity and language have Bulgarian roots and that the Macedonian nation was created by Tito and the Comintern.

Upholding the positions expressed in the "Defend History" Declaration, we, the undersigned, reject and condemn this act of historical revisionism and abuse of history for political purposes. We believe that such an approach is dangerous not only for history as a humanistic discipline, but also for democracy and prosperity of the region, and of the European Union itself. Imposing "historical truths" is unacceptable and perilous. The Macedonian nation was not created any differently than any other nation, and the right to self-determination is a basic human right.

This is why we are asking historians in Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria, but also in all the countries of the region, to be professional and stand up to the abuses of their discipline. We are asking politicians to act responsibly and not support historians who incite nationalist conflicts, and to refrain from exerting pressures that lead to distortions of the past. We are asking European institutions and nations to react to the abuses of history, respecting the basic principles of the European Union that have been threatened in the Balkans and Europe in the last few days, principles such as diversity, anti-fascism and democracy. The European Union was founded to redress the negative experiences of the past, and that is why we must not allow historical manipulations to destroy the principles on which the idea of a united Europe is based.

We, the undersigned, express our support to intellectuals and historians in Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria who are openly opposing political pressures and fighting to protect their profession and professional standards. It is only in solidarity that can we overcome the serious difficulties that lie ahead!

Prof. dr. Dubravka Stojanović, The University of Belgrade

Prof. dr. Husnija Kamberović, The University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Tvrtko Jakovima, The University of Zagreb

Prof. dr. Božo Repe, The University of Ljubljana

Doc. dr. Adnan Prekić, The University of Montenegro

Dr. Snježana Koren, The University of Zagreb

Dr. Milivoj Bešlin, The University of Belgrade

Prof. dr. Damir Agičić, The University of Zagreb

Doc. dr. Branimir Janković, The University of Zagreb

Prof. dr Momir Samardžić, The University of Novi Sad

Dr Olga Manojlović Pintar, The Institute for Recent History of Serbia, Belgrade

Prof. dr. Hrvoje Klasić, The University of Zagreb

Prof. dr. Radina Vučetić, The University of Belgrade

Dr Srđan Milošević, The Institute for Recent History of Serbia, Belgrade

Dr Aleksandar R. Miletić, The Institute for Recent History of Serbia, Belgrade

Veljko Stanić, Belgrade

Petar Žarković, Belgrade

Dr. Dragan Markovina, Mostar-Split

Prof. dr. Živko Andrijašević, The University of Montenegro

Doc. dr. Dragutin Papović, The University of Montenegro

Mr. Ivan Tepavčević, The University of Montenegro

Mr. Milan Šćekić, The University of Montenegro

Dr. Boban Batrićević, Institute of Montenegrin Language and Literature, Cetinje

Mr. Edin Omercic, The Institute for History, Sarajevo

Vlado Vurušić, Zagreb

Dr. Amir Duranović, The University of Sarajevo

Dr. Enes S. Omerović, The Institute for History, Sarajevo

Mr. Aida Ramić, The Institute for History, Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Ivo Goldstein, The University of Zagreb

Dr. Branka Prpa, Belgrade

Dr. Olga Zirojević

Prof. dr. Stefano Bianchini, Universita di Bologna

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