Monday, 27 April 2015
Address of the President Veljanoski on the Occasion of 110 Years since the Death of Nikola Karev
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished attendees,
It is an honor to speak on the different aspects of our famous Macedonian history.
The honor is great because of the deeds left to us by our heroes, and even more, because of the opportunity, reminding ourselves to the past, to learn lessons for the presence and our future! Macedonia would not have been what is today without the people who sacrificed themselves before the altar of freedom.
Generations of heroes from all historic era and all towns of our suffered motherland are embodied in the basis of our state independence.
Their deeds inspire!
There sacrifice astonishes!
Their patriotism makes us think…
That is why; the only right path to brighter future is through the awareness and celebration of our past national deeds.
We have to remember the bright events of Macedonian history, since they motivate us to take on similar acts in the future.
The battles from the past are the basis of our battles today.
The blood and the self sacrifice of the Ilinden fighters is the foundation of the fight of the Macedonian partisans.
The victory, on the other hand, of the partisans is the basis of today’s independent Macedonia.
We, who create our history today, did everything, our deeds to be the foundation of the success of the generations to come.
Let us give everything and look ahead!
Let us build today’s Macedonia as economically developed, stabile state, member of the European Union and NATO.
Let us build today’s Macedonia where Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Serbs, Roma, Vlachs, Bosnians and all others live together under the sun of freedom.
Finally, let us build our Motherland whom we will all love and work in its benefit regardless of our differences.
Dear friends,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, we mark 110 years since the death of Nikola Karev, one of the brightest characters of the Macedonian First Ilinden and President of the Krushevo Republic.
The person, who, through his deeds and life is embedded in the foundations of the Macedonian state.
A person from who we should learn today, how to love ones own state and how to defend the Macedonian national identity.
Allow me to remind you of the letter of Nikola Karev to Goce Delchev in 1902. I quote:
“We should not wait any longer Goce. It is time to rise and fight. We shall not wait for freedom from the Greeks or Bulgarians, but we, Macedonians, should fight for our Macedonia, which strengthens the organization among the villagers and the claims that all Macedonians worked on joining Macedonia to Bulgaria and Greece should not be mentioned. As far as I am concerned, nobody can take away my courage and my patriotism” – end quote.
Dear friends,
Unfortunately, even after 110 years since the death of Nikola Karev we, as Macedonians are still forced to fight to preserve our national identity, which is disputed through the absurd issue by our Southern neighbor.
Unfortunately, even in the 21st century others do not recognize the Macedonian language and make up some definition calling it official language defined by the constitution, while our Northern neighbor does not recognize the independence of the Macedonian Orthodox Church Ohrid Archiepiscopy.
Nevertheless, Macedonian people, thanks to Nikola Karev and our known and unknown Ilinden fighters from 1903 as well as the fighters in the National Liberation Struggle and our second Ilinden in 1944 managed to fight for Macedonian state as motherland of the Macedonian people and all other ethnic communities, living here for centuries. Speaking of Nikola Karev, I believe that every one of you immediately thinks of the Krushevo Manifest, a declaration that Karev, as informal, but actually highest official of Krushevo Republic sends to the Muslims.
Allow me to quote part of this important document as well.
“We have not raised our rifles against you - it would be shameful for us to do so; we have not raised against the peaceful, diligent and honest Turkish people who, like ourselves, earn their living through sweat full of blood - they are our brothers with whom we have always lived and would like to live again; we have not risen to slaughter and plunder, to set fire and steal - we have had enough of countless feudal lords pillaging and plundering our poor and blood-stained Macedonia; we have not risen to convert to Christianity and disgrace your mothers and sisters, wives and daughters; you should know that your property, your lives, your faith and your honor are as dear to us as our own…”
Dear friends,
These thoughts and this idea for coexistence with the other, different were written at the very beginning of the 20th century, when intolerance towards the others and different was noticeable around Europe.
Indeed, all citizens of today’s independent Republic of Macedonia should be proud of these historic facts.
We should be proud that Nikola Karev and other Ilinden fighters, among which were members of other ethnic communities as well, since the very beginning of the last century thought of the society and the state in which above all the freedom of every individual is respected regardless of one’s ethnic, religious or ideological belonging. Using modern political terminology, they were thinking of true civil society where the individual and collective rights and freedoms of each individual and ethnicity are respected.
That is why, today when we stand before many serious challenges, I would like to appeal, all of us, regardless of our ethic or party belonging to go back to the roots of our statehood and from there to harvest the ideas and the needed wisdom, but also the responsibility to surpass all challenges for preservation and development of our dear and rich state Macedonia, as Krushevo Manifest reads.
Let us be proud of the heritage of the Krushevo Republic
Let us celebrate the Ilindens and their great deeds!
Let us inspire from the biography and the achievements of the architect of the Krushevo Republic, the great Nikola Karev!
Let us convey this famous truth to today’s generations and to those who come!
Loving God, let us plant this patriotic spirit to our children and families!
Let us love Macedonia and let us be inspired from its famous past, building the history of today!
May the memory of the deed of Nikola Karev be eternal!
May the memory of independent and sovereign Macedonia be eternal!
Thank you!