February 9 (BTA) -  MPO "Justice" - Toronto, a branch of the Macedonian Patriotic Organization in the United States of America and Canada, has sent a letter to the US Congress appealing for protection of the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. A copy of the letter has been sent to the US Department of State, MPO "Justice" President Alexander Karadjov told BTA.

BTA has the text of the letter, which notes the need of constitutional guarantees for the non-discrimination of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia.

"We strongly believe that the USA is a natural leader of the Free word and subsequently has great responsibilities in Eastern and South Eastern Europe. Canada's commitment has the same objective. The huge efforts and sacrifices of the American people and of Canadians for reaching a democratic settlement in the Western Balkans during the Yugoslav wars clearly speak for themselves. This implies the need of a strong reaction to every injustice that could hamper stability and peace. The injustice done to the Macedonian Bulgarians is an example which we urge you not to underestimate in this respect," the letter to the US Congress reads.

"There is no possible excuse for the Macedonian Bulgarians not to be included in the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia along with other nationalities already mentioned in the Costitution. There is no excuse for the Bulgarian historical identity to remain eradicated from schools and textbooks and our children to be inculcated a version of our history, which is offensive to our forefathers," the letter reads further. According to MPO "Justice", the constitutional recognition of the rights of the Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia is a key tool for achieving stability in the former Yugoslav republic.

"We remain hopeful that the official US institutions would intervene with North Macedonia's authorities in order to encourage them to reform the inherited Yugoslav state ideology and to guarantee political rights and non-discrimination for the Macedonian Bulgarian population," the letter concludes.

Karadjov told BTA that his organization is in favour of North Macedonia's EU membership but not at the expense of Bulgarians in that country and their history. He explained that MPO "Justice" operates with the Sts Cyril and Methodius Church in Toronto, which was founded in 1910 by Bulgarians from Macedonia, with Bulgarian self-awareness, who immigrated after the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising.

Karadjov immigrated to Canada from Blagoevgrad (Western Bulgaria) 30 years ago. He is the grandson of revolutionary Ivan Karadjov, author of the music in the popular patriotic song "Tih Byal Dunav".

/DS/