Skopje, 11 October 2023 (MIA) – North Macedonia on Wednesday celebrates National Uprising Day, under the motto "Unyieldingness and Freedom" marking 82 years since Oct. 11, 1941, when the National Liberation War and the completion of the birth of the Macedonian state began.

The central celebration will be held in front of the Memorial Ossuary in Kumanovo and annual state award “11 October” National Award for 2023 for outstanding achievements in science, art, economy and other areas of public interest to be given at a ceremony in Parliament.

Fresh flowers will be laid at the Mound of the Unbeaten both in Skopje and in Prilep and at the Memorial Ossuary in Kumanovo.

A government delegation led by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, including Artan Grubi, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Political System and Inter-Community Relations, Oliver Spasovski, Minister of Internal Affairs, Bisera Kostadinovska Stojchevska, Minister of Culture and Azir Aliu, Minister of Information Society will attend the central ceremony in Kumanovo.

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski is to address a ceremony, followed by arts and cultural programme on the plateau in front of the Memorial Ossuary.

A government delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of good governance, Slavica Grkovska, including Filip Nikolovski, Deputy Minister of Finance, Bekim Rexhepi, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications will lay flowers at the Partisan Cemetery memorial in Skopje and at the Monument to the Liberators of Skopje.

A government delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi, including Deputy Minister of Health, Maja Manoleva and the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Agim Nuhiu, will lay flowers in front of the memorials to Metodija Andonov – Chento, Kuzman Josifovski – Pitu and at the Mound of the Unbeaten in Prilep.

The annual state award “11 October” National Award for 2023 for outstanding achievements in arts and culture is to be handed out to the composer Ljupcho Konstantinov at a ceremony in Parliament.

On the occasion of the National Uprising Day – October 11, parliamentary delegations will lay flowers at the memorials to Metodija Andonov – Chento, Kuzman Josifovski – Pitu, monument to the Women Fighter and at the Mound of the Unbeaten.

On October 11, 1941, the first Prilep partisan unit attacked the police station and the telephone network in Prilep, and the next day, October 12, the partisans of the Kumanovo unit also organized an attack.

October 11 is considered a continuation of the progressive traditions of the Macedonian freedom-loving people, evident in similar revolts in the 19th and 20th century, but also in efforts made for social and national liberation during the Balkan Wars and the First World War.

By deciding to join the anti-fascist coalition, Macedonia stood on the side of progressive humanity fighting against fascism.

The people won their own freedom. Starting with the first partisan units, the National Liberation Army of Macedonia by the end of the 4-year war was turned into a well-organized, 110,000-strong army with high-ranking military formations.

The years of struggle were crowned by decisions reached at the First Session of ASNOM in 1944 under which the centuries-long ideals for a Macedonian state had become a reality.

The country in 2023 is marking the National Uprising Day as a member of the United Nations and NATO and has been EU candidate country for 18 years, with started process to change its Constitution, which is a condition for Bulgaria to lift the veto for the continuation of the EU negotiation process.

Photo: MIA archive