Epilogue

Epilogue

Risto was a big fan of nature, of the mountains, and every time he found free time he and his wife Sofia went to Neolitsa, or to the surrounding mountains to drink the cool spring water and to capture some beautiful and peaceful moments. The mountains reminded Risto of his youth.

The most beautiful moments in Risto’s life, while living in Bitola, were the times he spent with his beloved wife and friend Sofia. She was a housewife, an economist and an educator who raised their children and looked after him. Sofia always found the time and the means to help Risto at his work and in private life. They had harmony and mutual understanding and even though they were poor they always managed to take care of everything. They managed to put Spiro through school and helped Neda as much as possible. Their children grew up, got married and had children of their own. They became grandparents and loved their grandchildren. Now everyone has a family and is responsible for themselves.

In his entire life Risto never drank alcoholic drinks, never smoked cigarettes and was not a fan of sweets. He rarely went to shows or plays mainly due to economic reasons but also because he did not

want to sit indoors for long periods of time. For some time now (when he wrote this) Risto had been busy looking after Mende, his grandchild, his daughter’s son, and having a great time with him.

Risto was not disappointed with any of the things he accomplished in his lifetime, on the job and at home. He did things honestly, first for his family and then for himself. He did not rely on or accept charity, not even from the factory where he worked, but he did volunteer a lot of his time to help others. He also donated as much as he could to the reconstruction of Skopje after the earthquake, even though he was left without an apartment and no car. It was the right thing to do to keep his soul pure and free. Risto’s greatest asset was his precious family for which he lived and strived to help.

Acronyms

AFZH - Women’s Anti-Fascist Front ASNOM – Anti-Fascist Assembly of National Liberation of Macedonia BRP(k) – Communist Party of Bulgaria CPG - Communist Party of Greece CPM - Communist Party of Macedonia CPY - Communist Party of Yugoslavia CVG - Greek Civil War DAG – Democratic Army of Greece EAM – National Liberation Front ELAS – National Liberation Army of Greece EON – National Youth Organization EPON – All Greek National Youth Organization KOEM – Communist Organization of Aegean Macedonia KOS - Counter-intelligence Sector of JAN NKVD – People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs NOBG - Peoples Liberation Struggle in Greece NOBM - Peoples Liberation Struggle in Macedonia NOF - Peoples’ Liberation Front NOMS - Peoples’ Liberation Youth Organization OKNE - Communist Youth Organization of Greece ONOO – Local People’s Liberation Council OZNA – People’s Defense Division PAO - Pan-Hellenic Liberation Organization

PDEG – Pan-Greek Democratic Union of Women PDOG – International Federation of Democratic Women POJ - Partisan Units of Yugoslavia SID - Information Services of the Yugoslav Ministry of Foreign Affairs SNOF - Slavo-Macedonian National Liberation Front SKP(b) – Communist Party of the Soviet Union UDBA - Directorate of State Security USSR – United Soviet Socialist Republics