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MURDERERS REMAIN ABOVE THE LAW

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In fact, the true and blackest divisions among Macedonians are of a more recent date. The establishment of VMRO and the initial period of its organization of the Macedonian people was followed by schisms and splits within the party, severe and ruthless to the point of self-destruction. The divisions into 'Centralists' and 'Vrhovists' and numerous murders inspired by a desire to dominate the party led to a bloody Macedonian waltz, danced almost throughout the entire of Europe. This was also when the party members divided into pro-Bulgarian, pro-Serbian and pro-Greek oriented groups, depending upon whose occupation was this or that part of Macedonia (and the VMRO membership on that territory). This division was also aimed at the elimination of the other two parts of the party. This no doubt supports the thesis for a fatal impact of the neighbors' appetites and propaganda.

Is Hell always other people? These words - supposedly said by Hitler himself - were used in an article in the newspaper 'Mazedonische Zustende' to describe the situation in Macedonia, a small country fatally divided. The situation existed before, but unfortunately also after the People's Liberation War (NOB); the Communist Party, having declared VMRO ideas and goals as its own ideals during the war, suddenly dissociated from VMRO in the post-war period by sending people to inland and island prisons for the very same ideas. With shorter or longer periods, this lasted as long as the former Yugoslavia did. In fact, people joined the Communist partisan forces in the NOB mainly because they were made to believe that the war was fought for independence of Macedonia. Once the war ended, however, the Communist Party of Macedonia joined the Yugoslav federation, severely dealing with those thinking differently, humbly obeying directives from Belgrade, declaring all living (and deceased) independence-seekers to be pro-Bulgarian enemies of the federation. Splits in foreign interests again brought about splits among the Macedonians themselves, giving birth to antagonism and hatred whose influence can still be felt today.

Yet, the Macedonian people showed that it can be united. The example with the referendum on independence and secession from the former Yugoslav federation - voted in favor by a vast majority - showed and proved that all Macedonian forces can only be united under the prospect of independence. And still, the national energy released in the gaining of independence was not used in the right manner. Moreover, the impression is that it has even been destroyed.

Ever since the introduction of pluralism, the current post- communist era in Macedonia has been confirming the thesis that unity in Macedonia is a goal hard to achieve. But this time, the main party to be blamed are those who have (and have had) the opportunity to make the right moves. Daily political interests have again divided the Macedonian nation into pro-Bulgarian and pro-Serbian oriented groups. Faced with the possibility of losing power, the current (and also past) ruling party played the old card of repeating the echo of history, declaring an entire party for pro-Bulgarian. Not that there are individuals in the country who have not contributed to further splits among the Macedonians (acting on behalf of foreign forces for personal interests only), but it is really high time to stop labeling people once and for all. Time, working for the completion of the Macedonian side, will on its own eliminate those elements.

The Macedonian nation is in need of a national conscience and not only a feeling of national affiliation. The need of a national reconciliation and a national platform to unite all relevant factors has so far frequently been publicly affirmed. Such was the initiative submitted to parliament for the rehabilitation of individuals oppressed and prosecuted for having VMRO ideas. As expected, this was most bitterly opposed by the so-called Veterans' Association, who again abused the pro-Bulgarian thesis, and was supported in this by the current government. At the same time, there was strong view which simply reasoned

In fact, the impression is that the primary guilty party responsible for the fact that the national reconciliation has not been (at least symbolically) achieved so far, is again the current government. The hunger for power led to complete marginalization of the opposition by thwarting the elections at the highest level. The Macedonian public was able to witness itself how the second man in the state himself publicly said that Macedonia really does not need a national consensus, as it already has (or had) a state one (?!). Now, this is something that discards any basis for a national reconciliation.

The issue was recently raised again by a claim that the entire matter ought to be "dealt with by the President of the country" and an initiative (blessed by the government) made to mark the place of the so-called "Veles massacre" where 52 prisoners were brutally executed. The initiative was to mark the place and event only formally - probably to avoid upsetting some of the perpetrators who are still alive - and was to come from "the president of the country" who, after all, is a statesman serving a political group which eliminated its opposition.