On this day, September 8, 1991, the Independence Referendum was held, where the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia answered the question: "Are you in favor of a sovereign and independent state of Macedonia with the right to enter into a future Union of sovereign states of Yugoslavia?". The voter turnout was 75.74% of eligible citizens, of which 96.46% voted YES. With this, the Republic declared its independence from the Yugoslav federation.
The referendum was held amidst the rapid disintegration of the former socialist community and a real danger of military conflicts erupting in the country. The unsuccessful outcome of negotiations regarding the future status and relations within the Federation forced some of the republics, including Macedonia, to invoke their right to self-determination, including secession. At the same time, in those pivotal moments, the possibility of reaching an agreement and a future of living together was not entirely ruled out, as reflected in the second part of the referendum question. However, the outbreak of the first armed conflicts in Slovenia and their spillover into Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina made this option unattainable.
Relying on the results of the referendum vote, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, at its session held on September 17, 1991, adopted a Declaration confirming the plebiscitary expressed will of the citizens, after which the process of peaceful dissociation and the transfer of competencies from the federal Yugoslav level to the republic level began. Additionally, the referendum decision paved the way for the international recognition of the new independent state and its integration into international institutions, including the United Nations (UN).
Happy September 8 - Independence Day of RN Macedonia!
Photo caption: Voting poster for the referendum on September 8, 1991.