Balgarianovinite.com Sofia marked 81 years since the so-called Bloody Christmas, when thousands of people with Bulgarian identity were killed in Vardar Macedonia in January 1945, with the unveiling of a memorial plaque and a memorial service at St. Nicholas Church on Saturday.
The event was organized by the Initiative Committee for Commemorating the Anniversary of the Bloody Christmas. Journalist Milena Milotinova, a member of the committee and author of the film Simply Because They Were Bulgarians, stressed the importance of remembering history, as it continues to shape the present and affects the lives of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia today. She noted that little is still known about the tragic events of 1945 and called for the opening of the archives of the then-communist State Security. “Opening the archives is part of the agreements recorded in the protocols of the bilateral treaty between Sofia and Skopje, signed in 2017, which forms part of North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiation framework,” Milotinova said.
Following her opening remarks, a speech by President Rumen Radev was read by the Presidential Media Secretary. “The mass killings of thousands of people that began in January 1945 were the culmination of a policy of systematic repression against ethnic Bulgarians in this region and a deliberate campaign to incite hatred against them,” the statement said. The President emphasized that the events of this dark period remain insufficiently documented, as the political climate at the time did not allow for full exposure of the crime, which was disguised as anti-fascist struggle.
Radev also drew parallels to the present day, noting that the rights of citizens with Bulgarian identity in North Macedonia continue to be violated. “The authorities in Skopje refuse to implement the hard-won EU-brokered compromise for the equal recognition of Bulgarians in the country’s Constitution, a step that would open the path for North Macedonia towards European integration,” the President said. He added that today’s commemoration of the innocent victims of the “Bloody Christmas” would strengthen the belief among young Bulgarians on both sides of the border that tragic history must not be forgotten, so it is not repeated.
Prof. Georgi Nikolov, Chairman of the Macedonian Scientific Institute, assured that scholars will undertake thorough research on the events surrounding the Bloody Christmas, noting that descendants of the victims are still alive. “We do not seek revenge or retaliation, but we see no signs of repentance either,” he said.
Former caretaker Prime Minister and ex-ambassador to Italy Marin Raykov emphasized that without justice, there can be no prospects for development, especially not in the European sense. He also called for historical events not to be forgotten.
According to Blagoy Shatorov from the Ivan Mihailov Cultural Center, Bulgarian institutions continue to show support for Macedonian Bulgarians. Sofia Commemorates 81 Years Since the Bloody Christmas in Vardar Macedonia 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-01-10 15:36:34 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
