Front Matter - Part 06

it had no national or political freedom before the occupation. Today, not only Macedonia, but the entire Balkan Peninsula (without Turkish Thrace) is occupied by the German and Italian armies along with the attached Bulgarian armies..." Speaking about the Bulgarian occupiers who presented themselves as liberators, Shatorov said:

"Every honest Macedonian might rightly ask: What kind of freedom

115 Ibid., p. 278.

is this when, as soon as the people of Shumadin are replaced by Bulgarians the Macedonians are placed under quarantine..." Analyzing the situation in Macedonia after the occupation and looking for an exit strategy that would also solve the Macedonian question, Shatorov in his letter said: "The question is what to do.

There is only one answer: to unite all Macedonians and other nationalities in Macedonia to fight for their general right to freedom and equality, but not splitting the Macedonian land and the Macedonian people. The Macedonian people should fight together with the peoples of the Balkan Peninsula for their freedom and equality. That includes the Bulgarians, Croatians, Serbians, Greeks and Montenegrins because today their fate is the same as ours... The Balkan peoples lost their freedom and independence today and are all occupied by foreign armies, that's why the struggle for freedom should be a general one... Macedonians tell me that they are not satisfied with the new found "freedom". They are right because in Macedonia only the administrators have changed, not the system...

Everything that is ours is treated as if it belongs to the Bulgarians." 116

7. Provincial Committee Proclamation on the attack on the USSR Among other things, the CPM Provincial Committee Proclamation on the occasion of the June 22, 1941 attack on the Soviet Union, entitled "MACEDONIAN PEOPLE, ON STRIKE!" said: "The fascist imperialist powers Germany and Italy have declared war and have attacked the great Soviet Socialist Republics..." Evaluating the situation at the beginning of this war, as well as the situation in the Balkans at that time, especially regarding the situation in Macedonia, the proclamation said: "Workers, guilds and intelligentsia... You already know how high the stakes are because you know that the Nazi Germans and their fascist allies, the Bulgarians, didn't come here to bring Macedonia freedom but to rob it and enslave it again. All the Macedonian treasures, all the Macedonian labour that was collected by the Serbian giants in the monopolies, the warehouses and barns were looted and taken to Germany... On top of all that, the Macedonian people are forbidden

116 Sources, vol. I, book 1, pp. 13-18.

from calling themselves Macedonian, and the Macedonian culture and the entire 50 -year-long Macedonian struggle for freedom and equality, according to the Bulgarians, is now not Macedonian but Bulgarian. This is what our so-called "Bulgarian liberators" have done to us. Bulgarian violence against the Macedonian people is not only increasing but spreading... There are people who are beaten for no reason just because they call themselves Macedonians... They are preparing to increase the violence and arrests in Macedonia..." The Proclamation also called on the Macedonian villagers as follows: "How could you feel economically, nationally, or politically free when you were exploited by the Great Serbians, when your tobacco, poppies, rice and grain were taken from you at the lowest price, when your land was taken from you and given to the Chetniks, officers and national heroes who oppressed you...

Your land that was formerly taken from you by the occupiers and colonists is now being taken by the Bulgarian state. In those same lands the Bulgarian government is preparing to forcefully resettle peasants from northern Bulgaria, so that it can melt the Macedonians. The Bulgarians are following in the footsteps of the Serbians... Terrible exploitation and robbery await you. Everything will be taken to Germany and Bulgaria. The Macedonian people will starve because they will have nothing to eat, not even peppers or garlic." The Proclamation, under the subtitle "MACEDONIANS, TURKS, ALBANIANS AND OTHERS" called on the people in general as follows: "In these decisive hours for all humanity, when the fate of nations is decided for eternity - it is the duty of the Macedonian people, together with other nations, to show their solidarity, their sympathies towards the great Soviet people, because that is where the brotherhood and equality of the peoples was built, for brotherhood, equality and freedom our Macedonian people gave thousands of bloody sacrifices... The struggle of the USSR against Hitler is also your fight, for freedom, for justice and equality against the fascist dictatorships, against imperialism and colonial slavery...

Hitler must be beaten! Not only the USSR, but also all the oppressed peoples of Europe must be saved from this scourge. It is time for all the small nations, including the Macedonians, to free themselves from the German and Italian yoke. The Bulgarian fascists who are preparing to fight against the USSR together with Hitler must also be beaten." 117 After fascist Germany attacked the USSR, the CPY Central Committee also published a proclamation. A comparison between the two proclamations is needed here because they later caused certain disagreements (and accusations) which will be discussed in this book.

In part, the CPY Central Committee proclamation to the "WORKERS, PEASANTS AND CITIZENS OF YUGOSLAVIA!" said: "In the early morning of June 22, rampant German fascist bandits attacked the great and peaceful state of workers and peasants, the Soviet Union... Don't let the precious blood of the heroic Soviet peoples be shed without your participation. Your slogans must be: no working man or woman must go to fascist Germany, to strengthen the forces of the fascist thugs with their labour. Not a cannon, not a gun, not a shell, not even a grain, etc., must go to the fascist criminals with your aid." Under the subtitle "SERBIANS, SLOVENES, MONTENEGRINS, MACEDONIANS AND ALL OTHER TESTED PEOPLES OF YUGOSLAVIA!" the Proclamation said: "You who groan under the boot of the occupier, all of you who love freedom and independence, who hate fascist slavery, know that the hour has arrived for your imminent liberation from the fascist conqueror... The struggle in the Soviet Union is also your struggle; those people are fighting against your enemy under whose yoke you groan... Communists of Yugoslavia! Do not hesitate for a moment, but immediately prepare for that hard fight.

Adapt your organizations now for that final battle. Do everything you can to provide for our precious people who we need today in that struggle more than ever... Stand at the head of the workers and the nationally oppressed masses and lead them in the struggle against the fascist oppressors of our peoples... All forward in the last and decisive battle for the freedom and happiness of humanity." 118 The proclamation, published by the CPM Provincial Committee released on June 22, 1941, when the USSR was attacked by Germany, according to our information, was an independent act of

117 Ibid., pp. 19-22. 118 Tito's collected works, book 7, pp. 55-59.

the Provincial Committee, i.e. the Provincial Committee had not yet received the proclamation issued by the CPY Central Committee, but received it later. As can be seen from our data on June 23, 1941, Lazar Kolishevski was sent to Belgrade by the CPM Central Committee to submit a report to explain the situation in the Provincial Committee. At the end of June Tito held a meeting with members of the Politburo, which must have been after June 27 because on this day there was a Politburo session during which this question wasn't asked. We don't know if there was a meeting at the end of June because no minutes have been published so far, so we don't know who attended it and what was discussed. What we do know is that Kolishevski was sent back to Macedonia to implement the CPY Central Committee decision and to deliver the Central Committee's Proclamation published on the occasion of the German attack on the USSR. From this it can be concluded that the Provincial Committee didn't know about the CPY Central Committee's proclamation. 119 The CPY Central Committee's June 22, 1941 Proclamation didn't call for an armed uprising. It called on the people only to prepare for one. The CPM Provincial Committee did the same in its Proclamation. This was confirmed by Tito's report to the Executive Committee of the Communist International at the end of June 1941, which reported on the proclamation adopted on the occasion of the attack on the USSR. This is what the report also said: "We are preparing for a popular uprising against the occupier because the people are ready to fight. Let us know what you think... We have very few weapons. - Is there any chance that we can get more soon?" 120 On July 2, 1941, the Provincial Committee issued another proclamation in which the Macedonian people were informed about certain issues of concern. In part this is what was said: "For ten days now a bloody struggle has been taking place between two worlds -the old world of fascism-imperialism and the new world, the revolutionary world of socialism." With this proclamation German fascism was exposed and the USSR struggle was popularized. In that regard, the proclamation said: "Hitler is an imperialist, a

119 Ibid., p. 335. 120 Ibid., p. 61.

plunderer, a conqueror and an oppressor, everyone in Macedonia has seen this for themselves from his policies and from the policies of his Bulgarian vassals - the fascist clique in Bulgaria headed by the Ministers. Today, after Hitler's attack, the USSR is shedding its blood for the protection of its country, for the protection of the Socialist Motherland, for the liberation of its people from the fascist yoke, for the freedom of the Balkan people and for the freedom of our much-suffering Macedonia. The USSR is not fighting to give Macedonia to the British and to Petra Karagorgievich (Serbian imperialists) but to make Macedonia Soviet! That's the truth! But our enemies want to hide that truth from you, to make you an enemy of the USSR, so that the German conquerors can ride you, tear your skin off, strip you naked and keep you in slavery." Regarding the Bulgarian government in Macedonia, the proclamation said: "The Bulgarian fascist government and the Macedonian supremacists-fascists eat Hitler's lies every day." In its conclusion of the proclamation to the Macedonian people, in part the Provincial Committee resolutely said: "You should know that the Red Army and the USSR won't be defeated, they will defeat fascism. The struggle will be difficult with many victims but the USSR will win because it is the bearer of the new revolution against capitalism and speculation, and because it is fighting for freedom and socialism... ,, 121 CPM Provincial Committee Proclamation to the Macedonian people, published in July 1941, under the title "FRIENDS OF THE SOVIET UNION!" This is what was said: "Everyone should know that the German imperialists have attacked the people of the Soviet Union... The people in Macedonia point to Hitler as the culprit. But because the Macedonian people have disapproved of this and have widely expressed dissatisfaction for fascist policies, the Bulgarian imperialists and enslavers, together with their German Gestapo agents, are persecuting and arresting the Macedonians who are friends and sympathizers of the Soviet Union. A terrible terror is being perpetrated. Bulgarian policemen and German Gestapo 121 Sources, vol. I, book 1, pp. 23-25.

officers, faithful to their methods of suppressing and torturing the Bulgarian and German people, are now doing the same in Macedonia. There is a case where young Macedonians are subjected to terrible violence by the Skopje police... The Bulgarian and German police resort to the same methods the Serbian oppressors have used and, on the other hand, as if joking, they say "we freed the enslaved women from the Serbians". Further on in this proclamation under the subtitle "DEAR BROTHERS", it was said: "You yourself have felt the 'freedom' the Germans and Bulgarians have given you.

Your situation is bad. You have been robbed terribly by the government and speculators. You have not won the freedom for which you fought for over 50 years. Instead of gaining freedom you have been given new slavery, violence and new terror. Your sons and daughters from Skopje and Bitola are still lying in the Kosovska Mitrovitsa dungeons... as well as all those who have been arrested under German fascist rule... Their crime was and is because they fought against the Serbian enslavers and imperialists for a free Macedonia... What is the difference between the Bulgarian and Serbian oppressors?

The violence and terror that is perpetrated against the Macedonian people today will not break your will...; you are striving for freedom and a better life... The Macedonian people have seen a lot, endured a lot, suffered a lot and will be able to bear these new tortures. The time for Macedonian freedom is nearing.., it will be here very soon. Until then, until that hour strikes, it is the duty of all Macedonians, all friends of the USSR, who are, with a tight heart, following the great struggle of the Soviet peoples against fascism, -to help the victims with everything they can for the sake of freedom in Macedonia.

Raise money, collect clothes and food and give them to the Macedonian martyrs and glorious sons!

The proclamation ended with the slogans: "DOWN WITH TERROR AND VIOLENCE AGAINST THE MACEDONIANS!" DOWN WITH THE GESTAPO BARBARIANS AND THE BULGARIAN POLICE! LONG LIVE FREE MACEDONIA!" 122 122 Ibid., pp. 26-28.

8. Provincial Committee Proclamation on the celebration of the Ilinden Uprising Just before August 2, 1941, the CPM Provincial Committee issued a proclamation to the Macedonian people under the title: "TO THE MACEDONIANS, TURKS, ALBANIANS, AND VLACHS!" In part the Proclamation said: "This year marks the 38th anniversary of the great and glorious Ilinden Uprising." Explaining the meaning and purpose of the 1903 Ilinden Uprising, as well as its traditional celebration every year, the Proclamation called on the people to continue the Ilinden celebration even this year. Among other things, the proclamation said: "Ilinden is the day of the Macedonian revolution, the first in the new century of the Macedonian people's conscious history, who no longer wanted to endure shameful slavery, who didn't want to come to terms with their fate, with violence, murder, robbery, corruption and exploitation by the chifliks and the rotting Ottoman administration".

The Proclamation continued: "The Ilinden Uprising and the Krushevo Republic were deeds of the Macedonian people and not of the Bulgarian supremacists and certainly not of the Bulgarian state.

Today's Bulgarian and Macedonian fascists, however, want to present them as their deeds. The Bulgarian fascists want to steal the Ilinden flag from the hands of the real Macedonians... they want to falsify Macedonian history... The Macedonian people didn't fight for a monarchy, a Turkish Sultan, or a German King... They fought for their own country, a FREE MACEDONIAN REPUBLIC, an equal member to all neighbouring Balkan states. Behind every king, even behind Boris the Bulgarian king, lie lawlessness, dictatorships, terror, violence and slavery... The Bulgarian fascists have taken everything from the Macedonian struggle that is beautiful, including our Macedonian history, and are presenting them as Bulgarian: St.

Kiril and Metodi, Gotse Delchev, the Macedonian revolutionary struggles, the Macedonian language (claiming it to be a dialect of Bulgarian), Macedonian culture and traditions are all presented as Bulgarian. And on the other hand they are forcing you to learn their Bulgarian language... You saw with your own eyes the kind of "freedom" Hitler and the Bulgarian fascists brought you. And the right to elect your own mayors, which wasn't denied to you in the darkest Ottoman times for 500 years - today that right has been taken away from you by your "liberators". You are truly slaves!

The proclamation also emphasized that this year the Ilinden celebration was held during the fascist occupation - under exceptional conditions and circumstances. Explaining the military situation, the proclamation said: "The struggle is difficult, the struggle is great, but it will end with the powerful USSR victorious over Hitler. You can be sure of that! THE DAWN OF FREEDOM WILL BREAK FOR ALL THE ENSLAVED NATIONS IN EUROPE - ALSO FOR THE MACEDONIAN PEOPLE. It is your duty to help the Soviet people's struggle with everything you can to win over fascism, because their struggle is also your struggle." This proclamation was also used as a medium to inform the Macedonian people about what certain European radio stations were reporting about the Macedonian national question. According to these reports, Germany, Italy and Bulgaria wanted to "somehow" solve the Macedonian question. For this purpose, Vancho Mihailov was summoned to Zagreb where the negotiations with the Bulgarian authorities were being held. Regarding this the proclamation said:

"Fascists from all camps have figured that they will be able to lie to the Macedonian people easier if Vancho Mihailov is appointed "fuehrer" in Macedonia. Mihailov will play a bloody role in Macedonia, just as Ante Pavelich played such a role in Croatia...

The Macedonian people in Petrich Region and the Macedonian immigrants in Bulgaria, however, know very well who Vancho Mihailov is and who he serves. Today he will again serve Tsar Boris and Hitler and kill thousands of Macedonians, just like he did in Petrich Region where 5,000 great centralist Macedonians, fighters for a Free Macedonia, were imprinted on his conscience." Under the subtitle "MACEDONIANS, TURKS, ALBANIANS, VLAHS" the proclamation said: "On the day of Ilinden come out and demonstrate. All together show your will, your desire to fight for freedom just as your fathers and older brothers did during the Ilinden Uprising, when they fought for democracy, equality and freedom. Ilinden was the work of all the poor nationalities in Macedonia... The Bulgarian district governors and gendarmes have nothing to do with Ilinden. Today, they are what Sultan Hamid's gendarmes and guards were during Ottoman times." The proclamation ended with the slogans: "EVERYONE COME OUT FOR A DEMONSTRATION! RAISE MACEDONIAN SLOGANS! DOWN WITH TODAY'S MACEDONIAN ENSLAVERS! DOWN WITH THE FASCISTS-HITLERISTS-DEVILS OF MACEDONIAN FREEDOM! DOWN WITH THE ANTI-SOVIET WAR! LONG LIVE THE USSR AND ITS STRONG RED ARMY! LONG LIVE ILINDEN! LONG LIVE FREE MACEDONIA!" 123 The following was ascertained from the CPM Provincial Committee documents published in 1940-1941:

Unlike the previous period when the party leadership in this part of Macedonia had a regional committee under the leadership of the Provincial Committee for Serbia, in 1940 the CPM Provincial Committee, i.e. the Macedonian Communist Party, was formed in the same way the Communist Party of Slovenia and the Communist Party of Croatia were formed. The difference was that those party organizations had a Central Committee and Macedonia had a Provincial Committee, under the leadership of the CPY Central Committee. That is why it wasn't correct in certain writings for this period (1940-1941) for Macedonia to say the CPY Provincial Committee for Macedonia, but was required to say the CPM Provincial Committee (Provincial Committee of the Communist Party in Macedonia).

The documents issued by the CPM Provincial Committee basically explain the important program steps taken in support of the Macedonian people's permanent interests in their endeavour to liberate themselves from Serbian, Bulgarian and Greek slavery. The Macedonian communists, for the first time, had an action program to tackle the most essential and important issues of interest to Macedonian national individuality, that is, there was a robust program to liberate all parts of Macedonia and to create a Macedonian state within its ethnic-historical borders. As can be seen 123 Ibid., pp. 29-33.

from the program details, the Provincial Committee didn't recognize the borders of divided Macedonia from 1912-1918, that is, it didn't agree with the positions taken by the CPY, CPB and CPG - that the Macedonian question should be resolved within the existing borders as a minority issue, or as a nationality issue - CPY, within the existing borders (Splitski Plenum).

The fact that the Provincial Committee issued its documents in the Macedonian language was also of great historical significance for Macedonia. In the earlier period, documents were written almost exclusively in Serbian, Bulgarian and Greek - by the leaderships which managed the Macedonian communists. The Macedonian language was introduced to the party in writing which had a great impact on the Communist Party members and sympathizers, as well as on the wider Macedonian population which came into contact with these documents.

With its published documents, the Provincial Committee successfully connected the contemporary communist movement with the Macedonian people's historical revolutionary traditions (regarding their struggles for liberation), especially with those of

1903. This successfully connected the CPM with the broad masses of the people. This was confirmed in 1940-1941 (at the call of the Communist Party through the various proclamations) during the Ilinden celebrations and demonstrations. Before that the previous leadership didn't pay enough attention to tradition.

With its well thought out program, the Provincial Committee successfully connected class interests with the Macedonian people's national interests, thereby mobilizing the masses in the struggle for realizing their ideals. The strikes and demonstrations held during those times are sufficient proof of that. Before that the previous leadership didn't pay enough attention to the national question, which of course was one of the most essential issues for Macedonia, especially after 1912 when Macedonia was occupied and ruled by the surrounding monarchies.

Through its contribution to the Macedonian national question, with ample arguments and facts, the Provincial Committee was able to break the CPY's hesitation about the existence or non-existence of the Macedonian national individuality and to convince the CPY to take a definitive position at the World Conference held in 1940. This happened even though there was still a certain hesitation among individual leaders regarding the Macedonian national individuality.

But what is important is that the CPY Central Committee at the time took a definite position. And for that we need to thank the CPM Provincial Committee making the arguments on the Macedonian question available in the 1940-1941 published documents.

It can be seen and determined from the published materials that the CPM Provincial Committee which was established at the beginning of 1940, and elected at the Party Conference in October of the same year, was rising and growing into an independent party entity with its own robust, independent program for solving the Macedonian national question, that is for liberating Macedonia from Serbian, Bulgarian and Greek slavery and for the creation of an independent Macedonian state as an equal member within the framework of a Balkan or Yugoslav federation. The Provincial Committee's program, however, wasn't completely in line with the attitudes of the neighbouring Communist Parties, which had minimal to no program solutions, or sought solutions within their existing borders that were set in 1918. There was also disagreement on the issue of the colonists who were deposited in Macedonia by the monarchies.

There were disagreements on the creation of the Macedonian People's Front that was to include the Macedonian people in the struggle, regardless of their nationality or religion, i.e. include all the people that were ready to fight for liberating Macedonia. Or to create an alliance that would include only workers and peasants (the poor and the middle-class). This was proposed at the 5 t National Conference.

The Provincial Committee's vision in building a platform and a program that would support the essential permanent interests of the Macedonian individuality was to encompass those interests as a whole and to require a resolution for a complete solution. The Provincial Committee couldn't accept partial solutions, as proposed by the neighbouring Communist Parties. The CPY Central Committee's position, for example, regarding the most pressing Macedonian issue, referring to a divided Macedonia, was to provide a partial solution that was to include only the part that was under Yugoslavia, the so-called "Serbian Macedonia", and not to include the unification of all parts of Macedonia into one sovereign Macedonian state. At the CPY May meeting, held in 1941, the following position was taken on Macedonia: "Macedonia also experienced the misfortune of being divided among several conquerors. From under Great Serbian oppression, it came under Bulgarian, and also partly under Italian oppression. The Bulgarian reactionary capitalist clique is doing the same to the Macedonian people as the Greater Serbian clique did before. The Bulgarian conquerors don't recognize the right of the Macedonian people.

They persecute them and work with all their might to renationalize them and turn them into Bulgarians. The Bulgarian language is introduced everywhere in Macedonia. The Bulgarian conquerors are looting the Macedonian people just as the German and Italian imperialist looters do. The task of the Macedonian communists is to gather the masses to fight against the forcible annexation and division of Macedonia, and for the free national determination of the Macedonian people as well as for their national independence and freedom." 124 At the same consultation, however, the following position was taken regarding Slovenia: "The Communist Party of Slovenia now has more important tasks ahead of it. Its task is to gather the Slovenian people in all occupied areas, including those that were seized from Slovenia during the last imperialist war, and to get them to fight against the occupiers and their atrocities. The Slovenian communists must provide a clear view to the Slovenian people in their liberation struggle. They must expose before the people the treacherous Slovenian reactionary bourgeoisie which has placed itself in the service of the occupier, as well as the one which has placed itself under the protection of the British imperialists. In these difficult days the Slovenian communists must be the ones to raise the spirit of the people and their faith in their imminent liberation." From the above cited views, we can conclude that when it came to Macedonia only the part that was occupied in 1941 was taken into account. The other parts that were occupied during the last imperialist war (1912-1918) were not taken into account. However,

124 Tito's Collected Works, book 7, pp. 40, 44.

when it came to Slovenia, all parts were taken into account regardless of when they were occupied.

The CPY Central Committee took the same attitude or made the same "mistake" in its November 7, 1941 Proclamation to the peoples of Yugoslavia. This is what it said to the Macedonians:

"The hated occupiers didn't bring you liberation as they promised, but lawlessness and slavery, like to all the peoples of Yugoslavia.

The occupiers deceive and lie to you, in order to separate you from the Yugoslav people's general liberation struggle. The German fascist conqueror and his allies - Mussolini and others was your main enemy that took your freedom and independence and that of all small nations. Now is the time for you, the Macedonian people, to stand up against that greatest enemy of national independence, against the enemy of all humanity." In the same proclamation this is what it said to the Slovenians: "You, the Slovenian people, unite on the territory of Yugoslavia. Unite all your torn forces; Slovenes from Yugoslavia, from Primers, from Korushka... all of you who have been enslaved, unite your forces in a single Slovenian people's front and fight against your beastly enemies who have torn apart and enslaved our country. The time has come for your final liberation and reunification, the time has come for you, together with the other peoples of Yugoslavia, to expel the hated occupiers from your entire territory." 125 From the above quoted proclamation, we can conclude that the Macedonian people were asked to fight against the occupier, but the call didn't offer a perspective for Macedonia's complete unification.

Only part of the Macedonian people was called to fight against the enemy for all of Yugoslavia. However, in the call to the Slovenian people there was a clear perspective - the people from all parts of Slovenia were called to fight for the liberation and unification of their entire homeland.

Typical of this was also a document Tito sent to Rade Konchar and Vlado Popovich in Croatia in mid-August 1941, in which it was said: "Furthermore, with the development of the popular uprising on the one hand, and with the enemy's attempt to portray that

125 Ibid., p. 217.

movement as purely communist on the other, the question of creating a People's Liberation Committee from our people, - and that as soon as possible - which would include representatives from the democratic currents of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. It would be a kind of people's government that would issue its own proclamation to the people and call on them to fight... We would need about three or four people from Croatia and two from Slovenia, four from Serbia and two from Montenegro". 126 Note that Macedonia or Macedonian representatives are not included in the concept of creating a People's Liberation Committee (a kind of people's government, that is, a unifying all-Yugoslav political body).

9. Relations between the CPY Central Committee and the Communist Party of Macedonia in 1941 The following chronology of events was summarized in Tito '5 collected works, book 7, under the heading "notes":

"In the second half of May 1941, Tito met with members of the Politburo - Aleksandar Rankovich, Ivan Milutinovich and Milovan Gjilas and with members of the CPY Central Committee Ivo Lola Ribar and Svetozar Vukmanovich Tempo. During the same meeting Tito decided to send Lazar Kolishevski to Macedonia, to take a number of CPY Central Committee documents covering the period from April 15 to the beginning of May, and to determine why Metodija Shatorov Sharlo, then CPY Central Committee Secretary for Macedonia didn't respond to the CPY Central Committee's invitation to go to Zagreb for a CPY consultation, i.e. determine why Shatorov broke ties with the CPY Central Committee." 127 "Aleksandar Rankovich informed Tito that, at a CPY Central Committee invitation Lazar Kolishevski was summoned to Belgrade and after the conclusion of the CPY May consultation he was sent back to Macedonia with the CPY Central Committee Proclamations from April 15 and May 1..." 128

126 Ibid., pp. 99-100. 1

27 Ibid., p. 331. 128 Ibid., p. 332.

"On June 23, 1941, when Lazar Kolishevski arrived in Belgrade on his return from Macedonia he informed Tito that Metodija Shatorov Sharlo, then CPY Provincial Committee Secretary for Macedonia, had separated the Macedonian organization from the CPY and joined it to the Bulgarian Workers' Party (communists) as per his agreement with the Bulgarian Workers' Party Central Committee". 129 We haven't found any written documentation to indicate what Lazar Kolishevski reported to Tito regarding the CPM Provincial Committee's position. At this time, the Provincial Committee wasn't called the CPY Provincial Committee for Macedonia; it was called the CPM Provincial Committee.

"At the end of June 1941, Tito met with members of his Politburo and decided to expel Shatorov from the Party. Lazar Kolishevski was again dispatched to Macedonia to convey the CPY Central Committee's decision, to inform the Macedonian communists regarding the CPY's positions and to deliver the CPY Central Committee's Proclamation on the occasion of Germany attacking the USSR, which was to be translated from Serbian to Macedonian and dispersed throughout Macedonia." 130 It was said that the question to expel Shatorov was raised on June 27, 1941, during the Politburo session. However no document was found to explain the reason for Shatorov's expulsion, which Politburo members were present at the session and the exact date this session was held.

"During the second half of July 1941, Lazar Kolishevski again returned to Belgrade from Macedonia and visited A. Rankovich.

Based on Kolishevski's report, Rankovich then informed Tito that Shatorov, then CPY Provincial Committee Secretary for Macedonia, once again refused to accept the CPY line and the CPY Central Committee's decisions that disputed his authority over the Macedonian Party organization, which was allegedly taken over by the Bulgarian Worker's Party Central Committee with the approval of the Comintern. Shatorov allegedly wouldn't even allow the CPY

129 Ibid., p. 335. 130 Ibid., p. 335.

Central Committee's Proclamation, written on the occasion of Germany's attack on the USSR, to be dispersed in Macedonia..." 131 Unfortunately, again no written document of what Lazar Kolishevski said in his report has been found.

"Tito convened a Politburo meeting (that included members of the CPY Central Committee who were in Belgrade at that time) which was attended by Tito, Rankovich, Milutinovich and I.L. Ribara.

Included in the agenda was the issue of the Macedonian Party Organization and the problems experienced with its leadership.

After a long discussion a decision was made to send Dragan Pavlovich Shilja to Macedonia and give him the authority to implement the CPY Central Committee's decision regarding Shatorov's removal from his duty as secretary, suspend the Provincial Committee and help the Macedonian communists form a people's leadership, which was prepared to follow the CPY line. It was also decided to send the CPY Provincial Committee for Macedonia a letter." 132 Again no written document of this Politburo session has been found.

"On behalf of the CPY Central Committee, Tito, on July 24, 1941, wrote a letter to the CPY Provincial Committee for Macedonia, in which he informed the Provincial Committee why the CPY Central Committee decided to expel Shatorov from the CPY. In the letter, Tito assigned the Provincial Committee the task to organize partisan detachments and launch armed actions against the occupier, like all communists were doing in all parts of Yugoslavia. The letter sent to Macedonia was delivered by Dragan Pavlovich Shilja, a CPY Central Committee delegate who at the same time also acted as a substitute." 133 Among other things, this is what the letter said:

"To the Provincial Committee for Macedonia!

131 Ibid., p. 338. 132 Ibid., p. 338. 133 Ibid., p. 339.

Dear friends, The actions taken by the old "Bulgarian" (Metodi Shatorov Sharlo), who was responsible for the CPY Central Committee's work in Macedonia turned out to be not only anti-party but also counter- revolutionary.

1) He sabotaged the issuance of the CPY Central Committee Proclamation and took a national-chauvinistic stance.

2) After the occupation he severed all ties with the CPY Central Committee and didn't respond to the call to report to the Central Committee. Not only that, he didn't even consider it necessary to explain his actions.

3) He took a hostile attitude towards his fellow Serbians; he took an attitude that is in no way different from the attitude of the Macedonian reactionary bourgeoisie.

4) He neglected his Party activities and now left it up to the Party to develop the forces required to fight against the occupiers, and to help the USSR.

5) He ignored all party rules regarding internal party relations and discipline...

As a result, the CPY Central Committee deems his entire feat to be anti-party and counter-revolutionary, and for that reason he was removed from his duty as member of the Central Committee for Macedonia and expelled from the Party.

Friends, The Central Committee has decided to send to you one or two comrades, but until that is done we set the following tasks for your organization to work on:

1) In connection with the attack by the fascist gangs on the Soviet Union, our entire Party, including your organization, should carry out comprehensive sabotage actions against the occupier: a) destroy the railways; b) destroy transport trains; c) burn down and destroy all military material and food products that are designated for the occupier and the occupier's military campaign against the USSR; d)

carry out sabotage actions in factories and mines; destroy mines when possible; e) tear down and cut telephone and telegraph wires, because this slows down traffic and the movement of enemy troops and materials. Destroy everything - everything that serves the occupiers and the enemies of the USSR. Those enemies include the Bulgarian occupiers. It isn't only our decision, but also Dedo's (Comintern's) decision from above. Anyone who refuses to carry out these tasks will not only be expelled from the Party, but will also face much heavier punishments.

2) In almost all provinces of Yugoslavia, and especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia, partisan detachments have been organized to fight against the occupier and carry out diversions. These partisan detachments are already succeeding in battle. I am setting before you the task to immediately start organizing partisan detachments, in which all those who want to fight against the occupier and want to help the USSR struggle can join, because this is also our struggle.

Act immediately on these directives.

I greet you in a friendly manner, Tito, on behalf of the CPY Central Committee." This is what was also said in the notes of the above mentioned book:

"Tito became acquainted with Dragan Pavlovich's report at the end of August 1941. Pavlovich was a CPY Central Committee delegate who had returned from Skopje to Belgrade and on August 28, 1941 wrote a report for Tito." 134 However, according to the minutes written on August 31, 1941, during the CPY Central Committee Politburo Session, Dragan Pavlovich submitted an oral report and was obliged to submit a written report later. This means that the report wasn't submitted in writing on August 28, 1941 and it wasn't written in Nish, as stated in the documents.

134 Ibid., p. 344.

Further on in the notes it was said: "Regarding the Party organization in Macedonia, Tito was informed by Dragan Pavlovich on August 31, 1941, after which Tito convened a Politburo Session that was attended by Tito, Rankovich, Milutinovich and I.L. Ribar." The CPM situation was reviewed during this session and a decision was made to send a letter to CPM members with a call to action. It was also decided to send the Bulgarian Workers' Party Central Committee a letter to complain about its interference in the internal affairs of the Communist Party of Serbia. It was also decided to inform the Communist International of the problems experienced by the Macedonian party organization and to send delegate Dragan Pavlovich to Macedonia. Details of this problem can be read in the Politburo Session minutes.

"FROM THE MINUTES of the meeting POLIT BUREAU of the CPY Central Committee, August 31, 1941 Present: Valter-Tito, Marko-Rankovich, Milutin-I. Milutinovich, Fischer - Ivo Lola-Ribar.

I) Macedonia: 1) The report by Shilja (Dragan Pavlovich) is acknowledged, with the provision that he also provides a written report, 2) Send a letter to the Bulgarian Central Committee regarding the Macedonian organization's position and the saboteur attitude regarding the actions of the majority of the Provincial Committee in Macedonia, 3) send a letter to the members of the Communist Party in Macedonia with a call to action and clarification of the inactivity of the previous Provincial Committee,

4) Send a telegram to Georche (Georgi Dimitrov, Secretary of the Communist International), regarding Macedonia, 5) Shilja and another person from Partisan Headquarters, from the detachment is to be sent back to Macedonia to carry the letters for the Communist Party of Bulgaria and for the members of the Communist Party in Macedonia to organize partisan units in Kumanovo and other places where possible." 135

"On September 4, 1941, in the spirit of the CPY Central Committee Session, which was concluded on August 31, 1941, Tito sent the 135 CPY Historical archives, volume 7, p. 44.

Comintem a telegram through the liaison office in Zagreb, to inform it of the connection between the CPY Provincial Committee for Macedonia and the Bulgarian Workers' Party Central Committee and to let it know that the CPY Central Committee had severed ties with them." This note refers to a CPY Central Committee session which that took place on August 31, 1941, however, there was no such Central Committee session reported on that date. It should have said.. .the Politburo of the CPY Central Committee...

This is what the telegram to the Comintern said:

"FOR DEDO (Executive Committee of the Communist International)

The Provincial Committee in Macedonia has decided to cancel relations with us (CPY) and connected itself to the Communist Party of Bulgaria immediately after the occupation of Macedonia began.

After being invited three times Sharl(o) (Metodi Shatorov) didn't want to attend our Central Committee session in Belgrade to discuss Macedonian issues. He also refused to distribute the CPY Central Committee Proclamation on the call to action. He gave a directive to hand over all weapons to the authorities and took a stand for Soviet Macedonia, waiting for the Red Army to arrive. He took a hostile attitude towards his Serbian comrades in Macedonia. Sharl(o) led a harangue among the membership against the CPY leadership and its secretary, calling him an Anglophile because he said in the Proclamation that Yugoslavia was enslaved.

We sent a delegate to Macedonia and Sofia. The Bulgarian Party Central Committee supports Sharlo and says that Macedonia was attached to the Bulgarian Communist Party by order of the Comintern. We believe that this kind of action taken by the Bulgarian Party Central Committee is irregular. We expelled Sharlo from the Party for sabotaging our actions, for gross violation of discipline, for haranguing against the leadership, for national chauvinism, etc.

There were no actions taken or partisan detachments formed in Macedonia until today because of the criminal attitude taken by the Macedonian leadership.

We are sending our delegate to organize partisan detachments and actions and to continue the work, and we will bring the culprits before our military partisan court. Please call us if it is true that the Communist Party in Macedonia was truly attached to Bulgaria by your order. We think that this isn't good, because the Bulgarian Party is in a weak position with its own actions and connections, because its connections are broken.