In Krushevo

National Day of the Vlachs celebrated
 

The Vlachs League from Macedonia, together with the Vlach association "Nikola Bacarija", has organized a Solemn Academy in Krushevo to mark the National Day of the Vlachs - 23 May. The guests. among which Vlachs and their friends from all over Macedonia, as well as political parties and NGO representatives, could see an interesting and rich cultural programme. Delegation of Vlach associations from Macedonia laid flowers on Pitu Guli and Nikola Karev's monuments and on Meckin Kamen. On the occasion of the National Day of the Vlachs, an exhibition called "From old Vlach chambers" took place. Vlach representatives had a meeting with the Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski and the speaker Nikola Popovski.

On 23 May 1905, the Vlach people have been recognized for the first time as a nation - Milet, by the Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who issued a special document, Irade, which guarantees their right to open Vlach schools in their communes, with Vlach school inspectors and the right for churches and books in their mother tongue. This proclamation was sent to the minister of justice and culture Abdurahman, who verified the Irade document with a special decree called "TESKERE". Its aim was to guarantee that the Vlach rights are not violated by anyone. The Irade document text was published in all Constantinople's newspapers and in 1906 the Vlachs gave a proposal to celebrate this day as their National Day. However, after the First World War, all cultural institutions were closed, and the National Day was no longer celebrated. Years had to pass for the Vlachs to be able to celebrate their National Day again when it finally happened with the democratic processes in Macedonia on 23 May 1989 at the Vlach cemetery in Bitola. From then onwards, this day has been celebrated every year.
 

J.M.