Serbs in Northern Macedonia will celebrate with dignity their national holiday – St. Sava's Day from 25 to 27 January this year, because Saint-Savaism is what defines the identity of Serbs and connects them in all areas they inhabit, said the president of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Northern Macedonia Ivan Stoilković for Srna.

Stoilković, who is a member of the Macedonian Parliament, stated that the celebration of Saint Sava would be held online this year, due to specific circumstances caused by the coronavirus epidemic, and that he expected addresses by the highest officials of Northern Macedonia and Serbia at the celebration.

He said that the celebration, to be held under the auspices of the President of Serbia for the third consecutive year, would be broadcast on national television on 27 January, and that activities were underway to enable also the citizens of Serbia and Republic of Srpska to watch it via private televisions and possibly RTRS.

Stoilković added that a documentary film about Saint Sava, a television spot announcing the holiday, and a retrospective documentary of all celebrations since 2007, when the holiday was established until present, were being made as part of the celebration, and appropriate billboards had been set up in cities.

According to him, the proposal is to award the charter, which the Serbian community in Northern Macedonia awards every year to a deserving individual or community, to the Serbian Orthodox Church /SOC/.

– Last year, we awarded the charter to the Serbian member of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik – Stoilković reminded

He emphasized that Serbs in Northern Macedonia nurtured special emotions for the Republic of Srpska, for which the Serbian people had made a great sacrifice.

– The Republic of Srpska for us is not only institutional protection for the Serbian people in BiH, but we view it as our second home base. So, after Belgrade, we have Banja Luka as our second capital, and we hope that, after the changes in Montenegro, we will have the third home base in Podgorica – said Stoilković.

Stoilković emphasized that the territory of Northern Macedonia was very important for Serbdom and that perhaps the brightest pages of Serbian history were written there, so it was extremely important to preserve that Serbdom.

– This year, we will mark together 15 September – the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, and that date is related to Kajmakčalan and the Salonika Front breakthrough and the liberation of Serbia, which makes us proud – said Stoilković.

He stated that 1.78 percent of Serbs live in Northern Macedonia, according to the 2002 census, which was never acknowledged by a part of the public.

– Few of us remain. In a way, we are on the periphery of Serbdom, although Serbdom is very interesting when it comes to this territory, because we have more Serbian cities under ground than above it, and many Serbs' lives are woven into this state. Serbs in Northern Macedonia intensively feel their Saint-Savaism identity and their roots and are doing everything to preserve it – said Stoilković.

Source: RTRS