There are attempts in modern times to present few pro-Bulgarian streams and factions in the Macedonian struggle for freedom as a global picture of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO, Macedonian: VMRO).
However, this is just another poor attempt to undermine the real motivation of the Macedonian revolutionaries. One testimony is the Bulgarian newspaper “Pravo”.
In the edition of February 1, 1903 – a few months before the great Macedonian Ilinden uprising against the Ottoman occupiers – a certain Nestorov speaks about the goals and motivations of the Revolutionary Organization IMRO.
We quote excerpts from the article:
“The Inner Macedonian Revolutionary Organization differs primarily from the Macedonian organizations in Bulgaria as it did not consist of emigrants who found refuge in Bulgaria and who were inspired by the great Bulgarian ideals and severed all ties with their homeland Macedonia. …
The organization consisted of local elements and was the result of local intelligence. The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization arose in response to the troubles in Macedonia and the interventions of its neighbors – Bulgarians, Serbs, Greeks and Romanians – to decide the fate of Macedonia.
The internal organization was the first to sincerely begin preaching the motto “Macedonia for Macedonians”. The ideal for a whole Macedonia is a formula that denies uninvited neighbors the right to interfere in Macedonian affairs.
The internal Macedonian organization recognizes the right for themselves to decide on the fate of Macedonia.”
IMRO – The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization
The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO; Macedonian: Внатрешна Македонска Револуционерна Организација, Vnatrešna Makedonska Revolucionerna Organizacija) was a secret revolutionary society in the Ottoman territories in Europe, that operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Founded in 1893 in Salonica (Thessaloniki) it aimed to gain autonomy for Macedonia and Adrianople regions in the Ottoman Empire.
The organization was founded by Hristo Tatarchev, Dame Gruev, Petar Pop-Arsov, Andon Dimitrov, Hristo Batandzhiev and Ivan Hadzhinikolov. According to Hristo Tatarchev’s “Memoirs”, IMRO was first called simply the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (MRO).
SOURCE: “Pravo”; Organ of Macedonian-Odrin Interests, Vol. II, Sofia, February 1, 1902, Issue 40, p. 3.
