- Europe is prepared by God to sanction anti-Semitism, to offer laws that will punish any denial of the existence of Israel, but, at the same time, it remains deaf to anti-Macedonianism – to the public and institutional denial of the existence of Macedonians. Germany, which wants to be a moral example, never once officially condemned these anti-democratic behaviors of Sofia. And French President Emmanuel Macron even called for “understanding” of the absurd Bulgarian demands, which further deepens the impression that European principles are selective and conditional. This duplicity is not only a political inconsistency but a deep crack in the European conscience. It exposes the weakness of a continent that wants to present itself as a bastion of values, but in practice allows the selective application of those values
On May 8, the 81st anniversary of the fall of the Nazi regime, the German state of Hesse will introduce a bill in the Bundestag that would make denying Israel’s right to exist a nationwide crime. The sentence – a fine or up to five years in prison – is a symbolic and legal response to a wider effort to stop anti-Semitism in Germany. The act itself carries strong historical symbolism: Germany, a country that bears the heaviest shadow of the last century, wants to show that it is capable of learning a lesson and setting a clear line against hatred. But this is exactly where the paradox opens – while Germany is preparing to punish the denial of the existence of Israel, it remains silent before the systematic and public denial of the existence of the Macedonian people by Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian state and its politicians have been clearly and unequivocally challenging the Macedonian language, culture and history for years. It is not just empty rhetoric but an institutionalized policy that is carried over into European negotiations, incorporated into official documents and used as diplomatic conditioning. It is a systematic attempt to erase a national distinctiveness, to turn a living heritage into an administrative fiction. The situation is absurd and paradoxical: Europe is ready to sanction anti-Semitism, to pass laws that will punish any denial of the existence of Israel, but at the same time it remains deaf to anti-Macedonianism – to the public and institutional denial of the existence of Macedonians.
Germany, which wants to be a moral example, never once officially condemned these anti-European acts of Sofia. And French President Emmanuel Macron even called for “understanding” of the absurd Bulgarian demands, which further deepens the impression that European principles are selective and conditional.
This duplicity is not only a political inconsistency but a deep crack in the European conscience. It exposes the weakness of a continent that wants to present itself as a bastion of values, but in practice allows the selective application of those values. If Europe really wants to be a space of dignity and principles, then there cannot be “privileged” identities, whose protection is absolute and inviolable, and at the same time “marginalized” peoples, whose existence can be questioned, conditioned or denied. The Macedonian people do not demand anything more than what is a basic right – to exist, speak their language, preserve their culture and pass on their history to future generations. It is a right that is not measured by geopolitical interests, nor by diplomatic compromises, but by the very essence of human civilization. Any denial of the Macedonian identity is not only a political act but also a spiritual violence against a community that has existed for centuries in its diversity. Europe, if it wants to be credible, must demonstrate that the right to exist is not a selective privilege but a universal rule. Otherwise, her declarative commitment to values will remain empty rhetoric, and her political conscience – compromised.
Therefore, no matter how justified the German law against denying Israel may seem, its moral weight remains half-hearted and unfinished as long as Europe remains silent in the face of Macedonian denial. That silence is not a neutral attitude, but silent complicity – history teaches us that every silence feeds and legitimizes injustice. If Europe really wants to be credible, it must demonstrate that the right to exist is not a selective privilege reserved for certain peoples, but a universal rule that applies to all. Otherwise, her rhetoric of values will remain an empty declaration, and her political conscience will be compromised. The moral weight of a law is measured not only by its legal force but by the consistency of the principles it defends. If Europe wants to be a place of real justice, then it must abandon the comfortable duplicity and stand up for every nation whose existence is being questioned. Only in this way will it be able to overcome the shadow of complicity and present itself as a true home of universal values.
