site.btaMacedonian Referendum Draws Diverse Reactions from Bulgarian Politicians

October 1 (BTA) - Sunday's referendum in Macedonia drew
diverse reactions from politicians in Bulgaria. In a statement
on Monday IMRO-BND, one of the parties in the power-sharing
United Patriots coalition, said that the results of the
referendum are a product of a decades-long wrong policy. By
contrast, Volya, which has the smallest group in Parliament,
hailed the results of the referendum on the deal with Greece
which they say is "shameful" for Macedonia.

IMRO said: "What happened at the referendum in Macedonia
yesterday is the emanation of a decades-long wrong policy.
Several decades after the secession of Macedonia from former
Yugoslavia and the declaration of its independence, all
governments have tried to impose a new fictional national
identity."

"For more than 30 years the very same politicians have been
leading an anti-Bulgarian policy and have instilled hatred
within the same people on the two sides of the border. The
policy for imposing an artificial Macedonian ancient identity
was at the root of tension with neighbouring countries as well,"
 IMRO went on to say.

According to them, one of the factors for the referendum's
failure is the rhetoric of Albanian parties which for a long
time have insisted on Macedonia's federalization and the
recognition of Albanian as the second official language in the
country.

Another reason for the failure is the campaign lead by the
government in Skopje. "It was wrongfully led through the
convenient media, highlighting theses launched by a number of
western leaders. This campaign was not led person-to-person as
people in Macedonia deserve, because this is their future and
not the made-up reality of the liberals in Brussels."

According to IMRO, against te backdrop of tensions between
Serbia and Kosovo and the ethnic tensions in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the situation in Macedonia doesn't spell a good
future for the Balkans and Bulgaria as its immediate neighbour.

"Bulgaria has to state clearly to all factors in the region that
 using the ethnic card in the Balkans and the Macedonian
referendum to destabilize Macedonia is unacceptable."

"We, the patriots from IMRO, won't stop fighting for the
European future of our brothers and we'll continue to stand by
Bulgaria's firm policy as a balancing and leading factor in the
Balkans," IMRO said.

Volya leader and National Assembly Deputy Chair Vesselin
Mareshki voiced support "for the majority of Macedonian citizens
 who rejected a shameful agrement with Greece on the new name
for their country."

Mareshki said: "I hope that the politicians in Skopje will begin
 to heed to the Macedonian people  and not go against its
interest."

He further said: "I congratulate our neighbours that they
managed to preserve their dignity and did not allow foreign
powers to play with their destiny and influence their decisions
on the country's future."

Of Sunday's referendum, GERB floor leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov said
 that he believed that the right way for the Western Balkans is
the EU and NATO "but there are enough good scriptwriters and
ways to manipulate the public into moving away from the European
 perspective". LI/PP