The Strategic Partners of North Macedonia Congratulated Us on Our National Holiday Ilinden

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Photo: vlada.mk

The post we are fact-checking is spreading disinformation and is slandering the strategic partners of North Macedonia by calling them “enemies” and, furthermore, glorifying Russia. It is true that Russia congratulated us upon our national holiday Ilinden, but congratulations also came from the embassies of the USA, France, and the United Kingdom, as well as from the EU Delegation in Skopje

 

We are fact-checking a post on Facebook (screenshot here) spreading disinformation that Russia congratulated us on our Ilinden holiday, but our strategic partners didn’t.

While brotherly Russia congratulated us upon Ilinden, the Macedonian foes i.e., the “strategic partners” are silent, states the post we are fact-checking.

The post also shares a screenshot of the congratulation of the Russian embassy in the country.

It is not true, however, that the strategic partners of North Macedonia did not send their congratulations for the holiday. Truthmeter searched the announcements of the embassies of the USA, France, and the United Kingdom, as well as the EU Delegation in the country. We realized that not only did they congratulate us on our holiday, but they also participated in the national celebrations.

The USA, for example, congratulated the holiday twice on 2nd August (here and here).

The French Embassy published photographs from the commemoration of the 120th anniversary of Ilinden Uprising in Skopje, Pelince and Krushevo.

The Acting Ambassador, Ms. Emmanuelle Gardille, laid a wreath in Skopje on the celebration led by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, states the post of the French Embassy.

The UK Embassy in the country also sent congratulations upon the Ilinden holiday.

Today, upon the invitation of President Stevo Pendarovski, UK Ambassador Matthew Lawson laid down a wreath in front of the Memorial Centre ASNOM in Pelince as part of the celebration of 2nd August –  Republic Day. The Ambassador also visited the house where officers of the British Army stayed during the Second World War for the purpose of training the partisans to fight. The five-member British mission consisted of Major Mostin Davis, Captain Frank Thompson, Captain Dagmar, and two radiotelegraphists. Happy holiday and 120th Anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising, states the announcement of the British Embassy in Skopje.

Congratulations on the occasion of the holiday came from the EU Delegation in Skopje and the Ambassador of the EU David Geer.

From all this, one can conclude that the post we are fact-checking is spreading disinformation and is slandering the strategic partners of North Macedonia by calling them “enemies” and all the while glorifying of Russia. It is true that Russia congratulated us on our Ilinden holiday, but congratulations arrived from the embassies of the USA, France and the United Kingdom in the country, as well. Therefore, we assess this post as untrue.