Demographic history of Macedonia

The Serbian newspaper "Danas" reports on the complexities surrounding the Bulgarian minority in Serbia. The latest population census indicates a notable decline in the Bulgarian community, raising concerns and prompting a closer look at the underlying factors contributing to this trend.

Bulgaria's parliament on Thursday adopted a declaration condemning the recent attack on a Bulgarian activist in neighbouring North Macedonia, an alleged "anti-Bulgarian campaign" in the country and warning that this could derail Skopje's EU integration.

Ethnic-based violations agitate North Macedonia

In North Macedonia, where a way out of the long-running political crisis still seems to be far off, ethnic and national divisions remain one of the main challenges that the new authorities face in the short run.

According to data of the Bulgarian Border Police, nearly 110,000 Bulgarians returned from abroad from the first day of quarantine until March 23. 36,000 people returned to Bulgaria by plane. Over 26,000 Bulgarians entered this country from Romania, nearly 2,000 from Greece. 3,000 Bulgarian nationals entered this country from North Macedonia and 4,000 people entered Bulgaria from Serbia.

Historians, political science experts, clerics, journalists, sociologists, economists and other prominent intellectuals from Bulgaria and North Macedonia have expressed "disappointment and deep concern" about the document issued by the Bulgarian government listing its various demands of North Macedonia.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Culture will join the European Network for Literature and Books Traduki. The Ministry of Culture will sign an annex to the project's framework agreement for the period January 1, 2019- December 31, 2020, writes the Bulgarian National Radio. 

In a move to boost economic links between Bulgaria and Macedonia, Bulgaria's economy ministry has decided to re-launch the activities of its commerial and economy service in Skopje, which was closed in December 2015, its press office told BIRN in a statement.

A procedure to appoint Bulgarian representatives to be sent to the Macedonian capital has been launched, the ministry added.

''Bulgaria has been supporting firmly the name of the Republic of Macedonia and this support is part of our consistent policy towards Macedonia since we recognized our neighboring country'', Bulgaria's National Assembly Speaker Dimitar Glavchev told TV+ channel.

According to his words, Sofia should not take side in the naming dispute between Skopje and third countries.

A National Forum of Balkan States' Bulgarians under the slogan Mission-Heritage is being held in Sofia, reported the Bulgarian National Radio.

After the Macedonian authorities found a mass grave last week near the village of Zajas, believed to date from the Second Balkan War in 1913, various reports have appeared in Bulgarian media claiming that the remains discovered belong to ethnic Bulgarians who rioted against the Serbs at the time.