The Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje () is a

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

in the

Republic of North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

established on 4 May 2008, and registered on 22 May 2008. Its executive board is chaired by Lazar Mladenov. The organization has local branches in

Štip Štip ( ) is the largest urban agglomeration in the eastern part of North Macedonia, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities. As of the 2021 census, the city of Štip had ...

Bitola Bitola (; ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing ...

, and other cities.

Mission

The Club's mission is to foster changes and awareness in the Republic of Macedonia about the necessity for bringing closer of, and inter-cultural tolerance between the

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

s of the neighbouring countries:

Republic of Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

and

Activities

Representatives of the Club took part in a public debate on the integration of

ethnic minority The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...

communities held in

Strumica Strumica (, ) is the largest city2002 census results
in English and Macedonian (PDF) in so ...

, gathered and publicized data on some burial locations and graves of Bulgarian militaries killed in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

on the territory of the present Republic of Macedonia. The organization is campaigning for the protection and restoration of the Bulgarian cultural monuments in the Republic of Macedonia. The Club took position on the issue of naming dispute with

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

, human rights issues related to Macedonian Bulgarians, and on the issue of a controversial encyclopedia published in 2009 by the

Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts The Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts () is an academic institution in North Macedonia. History The Academy of Sciences and Arts was established by the Socialist Republic of Macedonia's assembly on 23 February 1967 as the highest scientifi ...

(MANU). The Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje has published reports on the ongoing human rights violations and intolerance towards citizens of Bulgarian ethnicity in the context of European and Atlantic integration of the Republic of Macedonia, including the ethnic-based harassment of Club activists such as Miroslav Rizinski and Mile Yovanoski. The Club proposed to the Mayor of Ohrid the erection of a monument commemorating the 2009 Lake Ohrid boat accident in which 15 Bulgarian tourists were killed with many more saved by nearby vessels. The Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje took also a position on the "insufficient care for the Bulgarian science, research and innovation," and controversial intentions of the Bulgarian government perceived as a step towards the closure of the

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS; , ''Bŭlgarska akademiya na naukite'', abbreviated БАН) is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy, with headquarters in Sofia, is autonomous and consists of a S ...

. The Club in 2011 announced that they may invite the

Bulgarian Orthodox Church The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (), legally the Patriarchate of Bulgaria (), is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox jurisdiction based in Bulgaria. It is the first medieval recognised patriarchate outside the Pentarchy and t ...

to restore its Macedonian

Diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...

in service to the Bulgarians in the Republic of Macedonia (now

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

).No place for a Bulgarian para-church in Macedonia.
Nova Makedonija Daily, 25 January 2011. (in Macedonian)

Notes and references

External links

Bulgarian Cultural Club – Skopje
Website (in Macedonian)
State Agency For Bulgarians Abroad
Website. (in Bulgarian)
Bulgarian Cultural Club
Koritarov Online, 11 August 2009. (in Bulgarian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulgarian Cultural Club - Skopje Ethnic organizations based in North Macedonia Cultural organizations based in North Macedonia Culture of Bulgaria Macedonian Bulgarians Organizations established in 2008 2008 establishments in the Republic of Macedonia Bulgaria–North Macedonia relations

Mission

Activities

See also

Notes and references

External links