It is not easy to talk about political photography in Macedonia. As a matter of fact, it is not easy even to talk about the term photography in Macedonia. Why is that so? Due to a very simple reason: There are not any schools of photography in Macedonia. Or, let me put it this way: There are no any educated personnel in photography in Macedonia. We can put a stop here and end this article.
This report is the latest development in the framework of a larger project ‘Minority Politics in Southeast Europe’, launched in 2000 with a study on minority issues in Bulgaria. In line with the idea to analyse the positions and current issues with minorities in specific Southeast European countries, the idea of the Macedonian project was to look at several aspects of inter-ethnic relations in Macedonia
The new, historical, national and state-legal individualization of the Macedonian nation and state began in the second half of the 20th century (the Macedonian League, the Razlovec and Kresnen insurrections, the formation of the TMORO (VMRO) in 1893, and so on. However, it is right to believe that this process reached its peak at the beginning of the last century or, to be more specific, on 2 August 1903.
If you live in a country such as the Republic of Macedonia, which is situated in the traditionally turbulent Balkans, and has an abundance of diversity, it is of vital importance to create a social, emotional, and intellectual climate for constructive communication and mutual understanding among the people. This is true even in countries that are far more developed in economy and technology, as well as in the level of democracy. There is a necessity to respect the different values of the other group or individuals in places of diversity.
In 2001, Albanian guerrillas attacked Macedonian democracy. Two years later, Macedonian democracy is again under siege, but from a different foe. Recent publications have challenged Macedonian’s liberalization. Authors have coded Macedonia’s government as “Not Free,” one out of two East European (or Westernmost former Soviet Republics) receiving such classification. Yet upon further review of the statistics as well as a variety of data sources, such claims do not measure up to scrutiny.