Macedonian Scientific Institute

Page from the first statute of the Macedonian Scientific Institute from 1924.

The Macedonian Scientific Institute (MSI), (Bulgarian: Македонски научен институт) is a Bulgarian scientific organisation, which studies the Region of Macedonia and mostly the Macedonian Bulgarians.

Establishment and activity

It was founded in 1923 from Sofia University professors and scholars, among the Macedonian Bulgarians. In the beginning the Institute began to publish the journal "Macedonian Review" and other scientific studies on the Bulgarian population in Macedonia.[1] The "Macedonian Review" was concerned with Macedonia and all branches of the study of its history, culture and social life. In the 1930s the Macedonian Scientific Institute was managed by the known Bulgarian Professor Lyubomir Miletich.[2] Under his direction the Macedonian House of Culture in Sofia was built, where ethnographic museum and library were established. After 1945 the activity of the MSI was changed to serve the macedonistic policy on the Macedonian Question in the People's Republic of Bulgaria and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The new authorities began a policy of removing of any Bulgarian influence, making Macedonia connecting link for the establishment of new Balkan Federative Republic and creating there a distinct Slav Macedonian consciousness.[3] In 1947 the Bulgarian Communist regime "recommended" the liquidation of the MSI. The archives and the whole museum collection including the remains of the revolutionary Gotse Delchev were transported in the new established People's Republic of Macedonia.

Resumtion

After the Fall of Communism in 1990 the Macedonian Scientific Institute was restored and the MSI started publishing again the "Macedonian Review". Each issue now has an accompanying English translation for the contents page, and article Summary.

The Macedonian Scientific Institute also accepted a research programme and in the last years have published new collections of documents, monographs etc. In capacity of members of the Macedonian Scientific Institute today are academicians, professors, and public figures. It has relations with other organisations and especially with Macedonian Patriotic Organization, as well as with scholars and scientific centres in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia. Its publications are translated and issued abroad. Professors as Otto Kronsteiner (Austria), Tadeusz Szymański (Poland) and Heinrich Stamler (USA) were elected to be foreign corresponding members of the MSI. Scientific meeting, conferences and other activities are part from the renewed work of the Macedonian Scientific Institute.[4] It has to be noted, that in MSI works in interaction with Thracian Scientific Institute, Bulgarian scientific organisation, which studies the Region of Thrace and the Bulgarian part of its population.[5] MNI also has developed scientific centers and branches in different cities in Bulgaria.

Presidents of MSI

References

  1. ↑ І. „Материали за историята на македонското освободително движение” 1924-1944, ІІ. „Македонска библиотека”, 1924-1944.
  2. ↑ Македонски преглед, година XIV, 1991, кн. 2. Академик Л. Милетич — научна дейност, София, 21 декември 1990 г.
  3. ↑ Europe since 1945. Encyclopedia by Bernard Anthony Cook. ISBN 0-8153-4058-3, pg. 808.
  4. ↑ Speech of the Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov at the official meeting on the 80th anniversary of MSI, 18-12-2003 (Слово на Президента Георги Първанов пред тържественото събрание по случай 80-годишнината от създаването на Македонския научен институт, 18-12-2003.)
  5. ↑ Тракия без граници - мит или реалност? Проф. Иван Филчев, председател на Тракийския научен институт.

See also