Macedonian perception of their neighbors

[Stojacanec]

There is a big hole in your story Dimitrov.

Only young people and politicians think about annexing Macedonia??

You have missed the middle and old aged Bulgarians. What do they think? Don't they have an impact on what the young people think and who the politicians aim to please?

I don't have any negative perceptions about Bulgarians but judging from your story, maybe I should.

[George S.]

Macedonia is too busy complying with each country's propaganda.One counry Greece demands ha Macedonia should change heir name.this is despite a majority of Macedonians don' want a name change for obvious reasons.It depends how far the neighbour Greece is going to take up the line despite over 130 countries recognizing Macedonia as ROM according o the constitution.They go on as if there is a dispute.If there is one its sure as one sided nbut there is no real dispute.How can a name of a province conflict with a name of a country.No Greece wants a monopoly on the name.
he Bulgarians have similar propaganda of not recognizing Macedonians as Macedonians.It considers hem as bulgars.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Originally Posted by Dimitrov

I know that Macedonians generally have negative perceptions of Bulgarians, Albanians and Greeks......

All of our neighbours have contributed to the separation or destruction of Macedonian territory and none of them truly respect Macedonians on a political or national level. Do you expect any different?

.....how do Macedonians feel about Serbia?

We care as much about Serbia as we do about the other neighbours. In Macedonia itself, there are some remnant Serbian or Yugoslav influences as a result of belonging to a common state for several decades, but that is not unlike other Balkan countries that have found themselves in other various spheres of influence.

How do Macedonians feel about the days of Yugoslavia and the decision of the former Macedonian leaders to secede from Yugoslavia?

There are some naive nostalgic types in all of the former Yugoslav republics, but that is the exception and not the norm. An independent Macedonia was always the main goal for our people, so naturally most feel happy about it.

.......in Bulgaria, only young people (most young people here are nationalists) and our politicians really think about Macedonia, and when they do, they are usually thinking of annexing it.

Every country has morons, some with more significant numbers than others.

I don't want that, personally, I just wish we could have friendly relations with Macedonia sort of like Serbia and Montenegro have close relations, or Germany and Austria.......

The relationship between Serbia and Montenegro is somewhere between that of Germany and Austria on the one hand, and Russia and Ukraine on the other (minus the armed conflict, of course). What you mention above will only happen when the chauvinistic element in Bulgarian society accepts reality and the existence of a distinct Macedonian ethno-linguistic entity, both within and outside of its borders. If that happens, then Macedonians will become friendlier.

.....I can think that we can all admit that we are related, given the extreme similarities between our languages..........

Few people would deny that, but when discussions take place regarding such commonalities, usually Bulgarian arrogance will soon follow. I am not implying that some members from the Macedonian side always present a perfect argument, but the inability of most Bulgarians to concede anything makes the path to any sort of agreement or consensus problematic.

[George S.]

precisely you reach a dead end they all expect macedonia or whats left of it to give in .THey assume they are the weaker side.This is true to some extent but we shouldn't comply just because we are weaker.We should stick to ouer guns we should be stronger & don;t give in.WE should be more assertive.