Macedonian Question in Relations between Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia in 70s and 80s of the 20th Century
Abstract
The approach of Husák's leadership to the Macedonian question was one of a few problems complicating Czechoslovak-Yugoslav relations in the period of 1969-1989. The Czechoslovak "normalisation" leadership tried to manoeuvre in its approach to this sensitive question.
It attempted to persuade both Sofia and Belgrade that the Macedonian question was exclusively a matter of Bulgarian-Yugoslav relations. Prague declared on many occasions its preparedness to accept the results of common Yugoslav-Bulgarian solution.
The Czechoslovaks encouraged contesting sides to discuss the question with mutual tolerance and generosity. However, the Balkan socialist states ignored such Czechoslovak recommendations.
Over time, Husák's leadership was more obliging to the pressure coming from Belgrade. Despite vociferous Bulgarian objections, Czechoslovak authorities allowed the Festival of Macedonian culture to be organised in 1973 and five years later a lectorate of Macedonian language to be established at Charles University in Prague.
In 1980s Czechoslovak government yielded to Yugoslav pressure and used to censor Bulgarian films and TV series that portrayed historical events in Macedonia from the Bulgarian perspective. There were two main reasons for this gradual change in the preference of Czechoslovak communist leaders in behalf of Yugoslavia.
First, it was the convincing argumentation of Yugoslavs based on the Marxist-Leninist view on the national question that was in sharp contrast to the Bulgarian primordialist (essentially "bourgeois") nationalist convictions. Second, the positive personal experience of Czechoslovak party officials and diplomats from their visits to Macedonia played its role as well.
Nevertheless, another important reason laid in the fact, that Czechoslovak (political and economic) need to intensify relations with Yugoslavia overshadowed the necessity for cultivating contacts with the Bulgarian ally, Zhivkov. Thanks to the friendly atmosphere in the relations with Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia was able to expand a space for the profitable economic collaboration.
Simultaneously, in a specific way, the Husák's normalization regime used the Yugoslav friendship to strengthen its weak legitimacy in international politics and, above all, in the eyes of its own citizens.