Pirin Macedonia has its own history: in the 1946 census, 63.6% of the population were Macedonians

In 1946, in the census in Pirin Macedonia, according to historical research, 160,651 Macedonians were recorded, or 63.6% of the population. In the same region 54,425 Bulgarians and 28,924 Pomaks were recorded. These figures are an important historical document. They show that Macedonian national affiliation was recorded on the territory of today's Bulgaria as well. The circumstances under which the census was carried out are the subject of historical debate, but the very existence of this data cannot be ignored. And then comes the question: how, from hundreds of thousands of registered Macedonians in Bulgaria, did we get, in just a few decades, to the almost complete disappearance of the Macedonian national category from the official statistics? These are questions Bulgaria should answer with documents, not with political declarations. My grandfather, long before the Second World War, knew he was Macedonian. He did not need international commissions, European resolutions, historical treaties or permission from Sofia to know who he was. His identity was not created by the decision of some government. It was part of his family, his language, his origins and his sense of belonging. And today, so many decades later, someone wants to explain to his descendants what their grandfather was, what language he spoke and how he was supposed to feel. What kind of Europe are we building if a person has no right to say who their grandfather was without another state disputing their family history? Iva Mihaylova - when a charge over a traffic accident becomes an interstate issue Today, in 2026, the public is witnessing the case of Iva Mihaylova from Kočani, who is charged with taking part in causing a traffic accident with fatal consequences, in which 33-year-old Besim Durmishi was killed. Instead of the case remaining within an independent court procedure, it acquired a political and diplomatic dimension. Mihaylova claims she was persecuted because of her Bulgarian origin. Bulgarian institutions became involved in her protection, and in October 2026 she left for Bulgaria despite the measures imposed by the court. The Macedonian authorities issued an arrest warrant. Her guilt has not yet been established by a final judgment. Every person has the right to medical treatment, a fair trial and protection from discrimination. Iva Mihaylova is no exception. But the same rights and the same respect are also deserved by the family of the man who was killed and by all the other participants in the proceedings. No citizenship may be more important than justice. The closeness between the Macedonian and Serbian peoples has historical, family, cultural and social roots. That closeness does not mean there were no injustices, political pressures or attempts at assimilation in our shared history. But it does mean that lasting bonds were built between people that survived many political changes. At the same time, Macedonian-Bulgarian relations remain burdened by historical disputes, the denial of identity and conditions attached to European integration. For many Macedonians, every new promise of friendship from Sofia is followed by a new political demand. There is talk of good neighbourliness, while questions are opened about our language, history and national consciousness. Friendship cannot be built in such a way that one side constantly has to prove it has the right to exist. The European Union constantly talks about the rule of law, human rights, dignity and equality. But where are those principles when Macedonian citizens ask for equal treatment? Where is the European voice when questions are raised about the rights of people with a Macedonian identity in Bulgaria? And where is European consistency when a court case over a traffic accident with fatal consequences turns into a diplomatic dispute over national origin? Europe should demand clear answers on respect for court proceedings and the protection of minority rights, without double standards. That applies to both Bulgaria and Macedonia. Today, when we see that more than 160 thousand Macedonians were recorded in Pirin Macedonia in 1946, we have the right to ask what happened to their national self-identification in the decades that followed. We have the right to demand historical documents, institutional answers and respect for human rights. And in the case of Iva Mihaylova, we have the right to demand that the court establish the truth without political pressure and without privileges based on citizenship. Because my grandfather did not ask for permission to be Macedonian. Nor will I. And I do not want my children to be forced to ask. Macedonian identity is not a diplomatic concession, a human life is not a political argument, and justice must not have a nationality.