Resolution of the Comintern on the Macedonian Question
Encyclopedia
The resolution of the Comintern
of January 11, 1934 was an official policitical document, in which for the first time, an authoritative international organization provides direction for recognizing of the existence of a separate Macedonian nation and Macedonian language
.
In June 1931 the registrar of the Comintern Otto Kuusinen in his report on the national question to the Executive Committee, suggested that the main weakness of the Comintern was the insufficient appreciation of the national questions. Kuusinen called to discuss the national question in order to develop a new national program for each of the parties. Meanwhile, to the Balkan communist parties a directive was provided, for the gradual abandonment of the slogan of the Balkan Federation
, highlighting in its foreground the "right of the distinct peoples of self-determination to a full separation". Thus in 1932 a members of IMRO (United), put for the first time the issue of the recognition of a separate Macedonian nation in a lecture in Moscow
. The question was also studied in the highest institutions of the Comintern and in the autumn of 1933, Dimitar Vlahov
arrived in Moscow and took part in a number of meetings. So on January 11, 1934, the Political Secretariat of the Executive Committee of the Comintern adopted its final decision on the Macedonian Question about the existense of a Macedonian nation. According to Dimitar Vlahov, that was precisely what happened in Moscow in 1934:
The Resolution was published for the first time in the April issue of the IMRO (United) magazine "Makedonsko Delo". Following the decision of the Comintern, IMRO (United) took as its slogan "the right of the Macedonian people to self-determination up to secession" and formation of independent Republic of Macedonia
. Despite the fact that this was formally a Resolution of IMRO (United), it was a document adopted by the Comintern, which was immediately published in all the mouthpieces of this international communist centre. It was understood as an obligation of the Communist parties in the neighbouring Balkan countries to help the struggle of the Macedonians
for liberation and unification. In that relation the Balkan communists adopted the thesis that there is a separate Macedonian ethnicity and the Bulgarian Communist Party
even tried to urge some Slavic linguists to work out a plan for the creation of a distinct Macedonian language
. So the new line of the Comintern was gradually imposed on the Balkans.
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
of January 11, 1934 was an official policitical document, in which for the first time, an authoritative international organization provides direction for recognizing of the existence of a separate Macedonian nation and Macedonian language
Macedonian language
Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...
.
In June 1931 the registrar of the Comintern Otto Kuusinen in his report on the national question to the Executive Committee, suggested that the main weakness of the Comintern was the insufficient appreciation of the national questions. Kuusinen called to discuss the national question in order to develop a new national program for each of the parties. Meanwhile, to the Balkan communist parties a directive was provided, for the gradual abandonment of the slogan of the Balkan Federation
Balkan Federation
The Balkan Federation was a project about the creation of a Balkan federation or confederation, based mainly on left political ideas.The concept of a Balkan federation emerged at the late 19th century from among left political forces in the region...
, highlighting in its foreground the "right of the distinct peoples of self-determination to a full separation". Thus in 1932 a members of IMRO (United), put for the first time the issue of the recognition of a separate Macedonian nation in a lecture in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The question was also studied in the highest institutions of the Comintern and in the autumn of 1933, Dimitar Vlahov
Dimitar Vlahov
Dimitar Yanakiev Vlahov was a revolutionary from the region of Macedonia and member of the left wing of the Macedonian-Adrianople revolutionary movement...
arrived in Moscow and took part in a number of meetings. So on January 11, 1934, the Political Secretariat of the Executive Committee of the Comintern adopted its final decision on the Macedonian Question about the existense of a Macedonian nation. According to Dimitar Vlahov, that was precisely what happened in Moscow in 1934:
"I mentioned earlier that the Comintern itself wanted the Macedonian Question to be considered at one of the consultations of its executive committee. One day I was informed that the consultation would be held. And so it was. Before the convening of the consultation, the inner leadership of the committee had already reached its stand, including the question of Macedonian nation, and charged the Balkan Secretariat with the drafting of corresponding resolution... In the resolution, which we published in the Makedonsko Delo in 1934, it was concluded that the Macedonian nation exists".
The Resolution was published for the first time in the April issue of the IMRO (United) magazine "Makedonsko Delo". Following the decision of the Comintern, IMRO (United) took as its slogan "the right of the Macedonian people to self-determination up to secession" and formation of independent Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. Despite the fact that this was formally a Resolution of IMRO (United), it was a document adopted by the Comintern, which was immediately published in all the mouthpieces of this international communist centre. It was understood as an obligation of the Communist parties in the neighbouring Balkan countries to help the struggle of the Macedonians
Macedonians (ethnic group)
The Macedonians also referred to as Macedonian Slavs: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness...
for liberation and unification. In that relation the Balkan communists adopted the thesis that there is a separate Macedonian ethnicity and the Bulgarian Communist Party
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
even tried to urge some Slavic linguists to work out a plan for the creation of a distinct Macedonian language
Macedonian language
Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...
. So the new line of the Comintern was gradually imposed on the Balkans.