Dimche Yamandiev in front of FACTS: Today's history in North Macedonia was written by graduates of Serbia

Soon the association "Ilinden" was established in the Republic of North Macedonia. What goals does he have, how is he accepted by people, what does he want to change… Dimche Yamandiev, chairman of the association, spoke to FAKTI.

- Mr. Yamandiev, association “Ilinden“ in the Republic of North Macedonia it is a fact. What made you – the people who have Bulgarian self-awareness, to create it?
- Association “Ilinden“ was formed in order to make the Bulgarian society contemporaneous with the cultural and educational process in the Bulgarian historical lands, including the people from Bulgaria. Look, the Macedonian issue has been waged since 1989 until now, and no one is talking about what needs to be done to open the process. What we have been determined to do since the time of the Bulgarian Exarchy in these lands - with few exceptions during the First and Second World Wars - is based on the idea of working with children and students from the Republic of North Macedonia. We want to create a new generation to fight against the falsification of facts in history. Our goal is to show the facts as they are. Of course, attention should be paid to the cultural and educational process of children in these historical Bulgarian lands. Look, one thing should be known and remembered - today's history in North Macedonia was written by graduates of Serbia. They had ready-made footage when they started imposing the so-called “Macedonian nation”. We are no match for clowns and people looking for political and economic dividends. We ourselves must create a new generation of meat educators to lead this struggle.

- Association “Ilinden“ is another thing done by people with Bulgarian self-awareness. What will be different for you?
- Since the process of organization and activity of the association is internal, it must be done from the inside out. One of the goals from this fall is to create an office and representation in a student town to work with students. We plan to film lessons on Bulgarian language, culture, and history, which will also be sent to Macedonian children to watch. We plan to give scholarships to the children who are being educated, we may also take care of their living expenses, thus making their families sympathize with the truth. Another very important thing – we will engage in the maintenance of the military cemeteries of the Bulgarian revolutionaries, of the soldiers of the Bulgarian army. This is very important for us, I repeat. This is the honor and dignity of the Bulgarian people. It is sick and pitiful to have graves and monuments that are in a desperate state. One of our first tasks is to improve the military cemetery near Doiran, which has been abandoned since 1916 and is currently just bushes and trees. The slabs of time have fallen, not maintained. We will change this thing, because these men gave their lives for Bulgaria.

- From your words so far, we understand that your focus is on working with children. But how do the authorities in North Macedonia view this?
- Yes, working with children is the only chance for us to change something in the future, to solve the Macedonian issue. That is why this cultural and educational process has not started so far, that is why we must provide scholarships and full support for these children, because we know that this is how we will change things. So far we have not taken any serious steps to expect any development. Well, now, with our actions, we aim to wake up the Bulgarian society and make this a central topic at the state level. We hope that this process will eventually be taken over by the Bulgarian state, because Bulgaria is the only country that does not have a national development strategy not only for the next 50 or 100 years, but for the next 5 or 10 years.

- There is no way not to go over the subject of North Macedonia's accession to the European Union. The EU elections have passed, commissions are being formed… What do you expect from the work of the new European Parliament and where is the process of integration of the Western Balkans going?
- We fully support the start of negotiations between the Republic of North Macedonia and the EU, but for this purpose the Constitution of North Macedonia must be changed as soon as possible.

- Do you expect this to happen soon?
- In North Macedonia, this has not been commented on much lately, because it is expected to see how things will be arranged at the level of the European Commission and the European Parliament. But I am sure that the time will come to start negotiations. And this is very important, because in this way the umbilical cord with Belgrade will be severed once and for all. Let's not forget that there are over 150,000 Bulgarian citizens in North Macedonia. We need to start working with them, to integrate them strongly into the Bulgarian society. After the year 2000, there are over 15,000 citizens who have settled permanently in Bulgaria, and with the changes in the Constitution, I hope that soon there will be Bulgarians from North Macedonia – born in North Macedonia, on the lists of political parties. And in this way, these people will become the voice of the Bulgarians from North Macedonia.

- The association “Ilinden“ has been registered soon. What is the response, is there interest…
- There is interest, people are still hearing and reading about us. Since the few weeks since the association “Ilinden“ and because we have a large social media audience, people like it. They read, comment, are interested. And that's the important thing. Otherwise, as one of the organizers, cruel pressure is being exerted on me. We upload videos every day, and in the comments I am belittled, discriminated against, constantly threatened. See,

„the deep state” in North Macedonia he is not afraid of someone from Vidin, Ruse or Sofia, because he is an external element.

They are afraid of meaty people like me when we dare and take different actions when we speak the truth. But I'm used to these attacks. They have been my whole life. However, this is a problem for those young people who have realized themselves, who have the Bulgarian in them. Sometimes they have no one to rely on, they are publicly lynched, discredited, threatened and, ultimately, broken. Therefore, with every single action now, my goal is to fight against fear. I hope that the Bulgarian society will sympathize with us, support us, so that we can have real affairs. I am sure that we will succeed, that Macedonianism is dying and the truth will prevail. Anyone who wants to stop this cultural-educational process and the entry of North Macedonia into the EU does not mean us well – neither of Bulgaria nor of the Bulgarian people. The lot has been cast for us, there is no going back because association “Ilinden“ is a fact.