National Liberation and Revolutionary Movement of the Macedonian People

In the 70's of the 19^th century when the Turkish Empire was shaken by the so-called "Eastern Crises", the Macedonian peasants began the national liberation struggle starting the Razlog Uprising (1876), under the leadership of D. Pop Georgiev-Berovski, which was put down in bloodshed as a result of the missing assistance from aside. Taking into consideration the Berlin Congress in 1878, with which they had abandoned Macedonia under the Turkish rule, expecting her autonomy to be shaped according to the Crete model (Article 23 of the Treaty), the peasants began the Macedonian (Kresna) Uprising (1878). Under the leadership of Berovski and Stoyan, the priest, the insurrectionist established the government on the liberated territory along the Struma river. They established Constitution and Regulations, according to which the national liberation goal of the Uprising was emphasized and the relationship with the neighbouring countries was regulated. The prospective governmental administration of Macedonia was regulated by the Constitution.

In the 90's of the 19^th century the circumstances were matured for establishing the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (MRO), well-known in the history as Secret Macedonian-Odrin Revolutionary Organization (TMORO), and Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (VMRO) that became the initiator of the Macedonian national liberation movement. The revolutionary Committees and companies embraced the entire Macedonia. The spreading and strengthening of the Organization network were the main concern of G.Delchev, D.Gruev, Gj.Petrov and others. The MRO started the Ilinden Uprising (1903) intending to unite the discontented people, from different national and religious affiliation, using the means of revolution to establish political autonomy of Macedonia, resulting in the Republic of Krushevo. At the same time, the MRO members collaborated with the socialist activities and were influenced by them.

The Macedonian Revolutionary Organization was deeply rooted amongst the Macedonian population, who supported whole-heartedly and carried out the decisions of the revolutionary and democratic institutions (local police, jurisdiction, humanitarian actions). The Organization had established a parallel system of government, besides the Turkish one becoming "a state within a state".

After the Ilinden Uprising the attempts were made by the MRO to consolidate the members considering the conditions of the terror committed by the Turkish authorities upon the Macedonian population. At the Rila Congress in 1905 the documents were made reaffirming the Organization programme decisions for determined opposition to the foreign countries’ propaganda.

The Ilinden Uprising and the suffering of the Macedonian population strongly echoed into the international publicity and the foreign press. The developed Macedonophile movement that was spread in 1903/4 in Great Britain, France and Italy advocated the autonomy of Macedonia, introduction of the reforms established by the European great powers and appointment of Christian governor in Macedonia. Nevertheless, the European diplomacy, taking into consideration their own interests by retaining "status quo" in Macedonia, did not contribute to the introduction of the reforms.

The revolutionary turn of events (coup d’etat) organized in Macedonia in 1908 by the Young Turks was an attempt for democratization of the Turkish Empire. The Macedonian people participated in that movement hoping in vain that the Young Turks will fulfill the promises considering the national and political liberties and land granting. Nevertheless, the promises given by the Young Turks were not fulfilled.