Bulgarians from Bitola to seek protection of their rights before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg

By: bnr.bg

Nov 07 2024
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Bulgarians from Bitola to seek

The Ivan Mihailov Cultural Club in Bitola has been removed from North Macedonia’s Central Registry, but the spirit of Ivan Mihailov lives on in the people, and a "legal battle" is underway in court to restore the name, the association’s chairman Ljupcho Georgievski told BTA. The appeal of the Macedonian Bulgarians has reached the last judicial instance in North Macedonia, the Supreme Administrative Court. Among the arguments presented by the lawyer of the Bulgarians, Nasser Raufi, is the 2009 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Back then, North Macedonia was convicted of violating the right to association after Skopje declared the Association of Bulgarians in North Macedonia "Radko" unconstitutional. The court’s ruling states that the name of the association "Radko" (a pseudonym for Ivan Mihailov) cannot in itself be considered a risk or threat to public order. Nasser Raufi noted that after all judicial procedures in North Macedonia are concluded, the complaint from the Ivan Mihailov Cultural Club will also be submitted to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.