The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) strongly denounces yesterday’s statement by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences that the Macedonian language does not exist.
Members of the Bulgarian academy noted that the Macedonian language is a result of political construction, and not of organic linguistic development. As a result, they claimed that the Macedonian language is nothing more than “Bulgarian language typed-out on a Serbian typing machine.”
This controversial and insulting statement is yet another addition to a long line of degrading statements that deny the existence of the Macedonian nationality and symbols. Throughout the past decades, and particularly since 2017, Macedonia’s neighbors have begun a concerted effort to undermine the Macedonian nationhood by conditioning European Union (EU) and NATO membership on renouncing claims to a Macedonian identity.
The latest in a string of anti-democratic assaults, the statement by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences reflects the standing Bulgarian policy of negating the existence of a unique Macedonian language. The ultimate goal of this policy is to obstruct Macedonia from having an official language recognized within the confines of the EU, once the country joins the union.
Given the ease with which the Macedonian leadership has ceded to bullying by our neighbors, it would not be surprising to have officials in Skopje brush off this scandal.
Nevertheless, UMD calls on the Macedonian authorities to condemn this vile act by Bulgaria and to take a clear and unanimous stance defending Macedonia and our language. Furthermore, UMD calls on the EU to protest the statement by the Bulgarians, since the denial of a language violates its long-standing language policy.