SKOPJE, August 2 (BV) – North Macedonia’s state leaders, institutions and political parties marked Ilinden (St. Elijah’s Day) on Saturday with calls for national unity, democratic reforms and European integration, while the anniversary also highlighted the country’s unresolved historical dispute with neighbouring Bulgaria.
Ilinden commemorates two milestones in North Macedonia’s history: the 1903 Ilinden Uprising against Ottoman rule and the first session of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM) in 1944, regarded as the foundation of the modern Macedonian state.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova described Ilinden as “the holiest Macedonian day,” linking the ideals of the Kruševo Republic with ASNOM’s state-building legacy.
“Ilinden obliges us to be worthy and responsible heirs, not merely grateful descendants of our glorious ancestors,” she said, calling for a democratic European republic based on the rule of law, efficient institutions and active civil society.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the values of Ilinden should guide today’s generation in building a stronger state.
“History does not ask us to repeat the steps of the Ilinden revolutionaries, but to show the same courage they demonstrated. Every generation has its own Ilinden,” Mickoski said, arguing that the country’s current struggle is to build institutions stronger than individuals and create conditions that encourage young people to remain in North Macedonia.
Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi described the anniversary as a reminder of citizens’ shared responsibility to strengthen democratic institutions and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to European integration.
Constitutional Court President Darko Kostadinovski said the highest form of patriotism today is respect for the constitution and the rule of law.
The governing VMRO-DPMNE said Ilinden remains the strongest symbol of Macedonia’s struggle for freedom and statehood, while opposition leader Venko Filipče of the Social Democratic Union (SDSM) argued that the ideals of the Ilinden revolutionaries should now be reflected in the fight against corruption, injustice and international isolation.
The ethnic Albanian opposition Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) described Ilinden as the foundation of North Macedonia as a multiethnic state based on equality and coexistence. Party leader Ali Ahmeti accused the government of undermining those principles by marginalising Albanians in state institutions and weakening the implementation of the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement.
This year’s anniversary also underscored the continued freeze in historical dialogue between North Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Unlike previous years, Bulgarian media paid little attention to the anniversary or to the idea of jointly commemorating historical figures such as revolutionary Goce Delchev, once promoted under the 2017 Treaty of Friendship between the two countries.
Bulgarian authorities said Sofia had not received an invitation from North Macedonia for a joint commemoration of Delčev’s birthday this year, noting that the last official joint ceremony took place following the signing of the friendship treaty, while the most recent shared commemoration was held at ministerial level in 2022.
The absence of joint commemorations reflects the broader deterioration in bilateral relations after disputes over history, language and identity spilled into North Macedonia’s EU accession process.
Sofia reiterated that constitutional amendments to include Bulgarians as a constituent people are not merely a bilateral issue but part of North Macedonia’s commitments under the EU negotiating framework agreed in 2022.
Relations between the two neighbours have recently shifted away from historical disputes toward disagreements over infrastructure projects, including the delayed construction of Corridor VIII, although history and identity remain central obstacles in their political dialogue.
Despite contrasting political narratives at home and continuing disagreements with Bulgaria, this year’s Ilinden commemorations largely converged on one message: that the country’s historic struggle for freedom must now be translated into stronger democratic institutions, interethnic cohesion and progress toward European Union membership.
This year marks the 123rd anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising and the 82nd anniversary of ASNOM, the two events widely regarded as the pillars of North Macedonia’s statehood.