On the occasion of the upcoming EU Summit of the Western Balkan countries in Sofia, Republic of Bulgaria, scheduled for May 17, 2018, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD), despite the messages channeled through 40 peaceful and democratic gatherings with the turnout of over 150,000 Macedonians worldwide through the global movement We Are Macedonia, appeals to government entities to refrain from negotiations on changing the name, constitution, sovereignty, and identity of the Republic of Macedonia.
UMD, as the largest organization of the Macedonian diaspora, believes that no one has the right to negotiate the name, identity and constitution of the Republic, for which on September 8, 1991, with a convincing majority of 95%, the people decided on how it will be named, regulate and identify the state, for internal and foreign policy. According to UMD, changing the name, the constitution and the identity of Macedonia is a treasonous act, for which UMD is committed to inform all entities from the United Nations Security Council and global human rights organizations, in order to prove the illegitimacy of the act and its stakeholders.
Instead of a policy of humility that would appeal to the unscrupulous demands of its southern neighbor, UMD appeals for the preservation of Macedonia’s dignity through immediate withdrawal of the UN-led talks on the name, and re-dedicated work on its democratic capacities, economy and innovative competitiveness. Instead of changing the name of the state, UMD believes that Macedonia needs a structural restart in order to set up healthy foundations for proper operation of the administrative, legal, corporate, financial and civil sectors in the country. In this direction, UMD supports governmental entities to seize the opportunity for cooperation with the member states of the European Union and the region through the Berlin Process and the upcoming EU Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, Republic of Bulgaria.