The Balkan Question
KEY ISSUES BEHIND THE WAR EXPLAINED
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Who are Macedonians?
Macedonia is not only a much fought-over territory, the very concept is contested. Before 1912 Macedonia was a large, loosely defined region in the Ottoman Empire and the object of predatory designs by the newly independent states of Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria.
After the Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913, it was divided between them. Most went to Greece and Serbia. Bulgaria lost more of its share to Greece in 1918 as a punishment for supporting Germany in the First World War.
What we now call "Macedonians" are the citizens of the old Serbian portion, which became the republic of Macedonia in federal Yugoslavia after 1945 and an independent state in 1991. Most are Orthodox Slavs with their own church and language. Greece was infuriated by the name of the new state, fearing it implied a claim on Greek Macedonia, but Athens is now much friendlier towards the government in Skopje.
Marcus Tanner
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments