Skopje, 13 December 2024 (MIA) – The Joint Multidisciplinary Commission of Experts in Historical and Educational Issues held its 33rd meeting on Thursday and Friday in Sofia.

According to the Macedonian team of the Commission, the meeting was conducted in a constructive working atmosphere, with intensive discussions focusing on issues within the Commission’s scope.

“The meeting focused on the possibility of joint celebrations, recommendations for the Macedonian textbooks for the 7th grade, and establishing the work schedule for the first half of 2025. The Commission also finalized the text of the draft minutes from the 27th session,” as in the press release.

The Commission's next meeting is scheduled to take place at the end of February 2025 in Skopje.

The joint Commission of Experts in Historical and Educational Issues between North Macedonia and Bulgaria held a meeting by end of October in Skopje. It was the first meeting of the new composition of the Macedonian team with their Bulgarian counterparts. Bulgarian co-chair of the joint history commission Angel Dimitrov said after the meeting that it was focused more on getting to know the team and protocol issues.

The last meeting took place in Sofia on May 30-31, whereas the Skopje meeting that was scheduled on September 18-19 was postponed at the request of the Macedonian side.

The Government elected the new composition of the Macedonian team in the commission on September 10, with Faculty of Philosophy professor Vancho Gjorgjiev as its chair.

In addition to Mitko Panov, the commission also includes Aleksandar Litovski and Dimitar Ljorovski from the Institute of National History, Nikola Minov and Sasho Dodevski from the Faculty of Philosophy, and Besnik Emini from the Institute for Spiritual and Cultural Heritage of Albanians.

The chair, Vancho Gjorgjiev, was a former member of the Commission but resigned in 2021. According to his statement at the time, he left due to facing political pressures affecting the Commission’s work.

The joint commission, comprised of historians and professors from North Macedonia and Bulgaria, was set up in line with the Friendship Treaty signed in August 2017.

The Commission has so far adopted recommendations for joint celebrations of five historical figures – Saints Cyril and Methodius, St. Naum of Ohrid, St. Clement of Ohrid, and Tsar Samoil, along with five recommendations for changes to history textbooks for 6th grade in North Macedonia and 5th grade in Bulgaria.

Photo: MIA archive