August 2, 2011 – Washington, D.C. – The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) urged today Macedonia’s Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki to recognize South Sudan as an independent and sovereign nation. After a reported 98.83 percent of its population voted for independence from Sudan in a referendum this past January, South Sudan became the world’s 193rd nation on July 9, 2011.
“Today marks the 108th Anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising, which led to the first democratic, independent, and sovereign republic in the Balkans – the Macedonian Republic of Krusevo,” said UMD Chairman Stojan Nikolov. “Given our history of struggle to establish an independent nation-state, it is only appropriate that Macedonia officially recognize South Sudan – a new independent state in Africa.”