Deputy Speaker Reports Bulgarian Cultural Club in Bitola
Vesna Bendevska, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of North Macedonia, has reported the Bulgarian cultural club "Ivan Mihailov" in Bitola to the Prosecutor's Office. This action comes after the club, despite being deleted from the central register, continued to function and hosted a presentation of a phototype edition of the play "Macedonian Blood Wedding" by Voydan Chernodrinski.
Bendevska's report stems from concerns regarding statements made during the presentation. The play was presented as part of Bulgarian cultural heritage, and Voydan Chernodrinski was referred to as a Bulgarian revivalist. Bendevska views these statements as "provocations and violations against Macedonian national feelings."
Lupcho Georgievski, chairman of the defunct "Ivan Mihailov" Cultural Club, responded to Bendevska's report by calling it "a deliberate attempt to silence the cultural and national characteristics and aspirations of the Bulgarian community in Macedonia." He further argues that the pressure and legal actions faced by the Macedonian Bulgarians highlight the need for constitutional guarantees for their collective rights.