The Authorities in North Macedonia Erased a Second Bulgarian Club

Ten days after closing down the "Ivan Mihailov" Bulgarian Club in Bitola, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of North Macedonia issued an order for the closing of the "Tsar Boris III" Bulgarian Club in Ohrid, reports BGNES.

Both associations of local Bulgarians were registered 3-4 years ago. Their closing takes place after amendments to the law, which enter into force retroactively, the agency notes.

There was gunfire in front of the club, miraculously no one was hurt. On January 19, the secretary of the club Hristiyan Pendikov was also beaten.

Yesterday, the Minister of Justice Krenar Lloga signed a decision to close the Bulgarian club "Tsar Boris III" in Ohrid. The move comes after the opinion of the Commission for the use of names, which two days ago gave a negative opinion about the club in Ohrid. The Central Registry is now on the move, which must delete the name from the system following this decision.

"The Commission on the Use of Personal Names believes that the possible naming of the association with such a name causes tension and intolerance among the entire Macedonian society. In the explanation, the Commission states that he is responsible for crimes committed during the Bulgarian occupation of Macedonia in the Second World War, during which hundreds of citizens were liquidated. It particularly emphasizes the view that his collaboration and alliance with the Third Reich and pronounced anti-Semitic policies were most directly responsible for the deportation and extermination of thousands of Macedonian Jews in the Treblinka death camp," it said in an official statement.

Earlier this month, the Bitola club "Ivan Mihailov" was also deleted from the register of associations in the RNM.

The Bulgarian...