Macedonian “sovereignists” at the BRICS Summit—fascinated with Putin and spreading Russian propaganda

In a video published on the YouTube channel “Sloboden Svet” [“Free World”], members of the Makedonska era treta — suverenisti [sovereignists] party, with the flag of the Vergina Sun, enthusiastically talk about BRICS. They use well-known narratives which serve the Kremlin propaganda, placing disinformation in order to glorify Russia and Putin

 

Author: Ana Anastasovska

 

From the 22^nd to the 24^th of October in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, Russia, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit was held, on which Macedonian media outlets reported as well. “Truthmeter.mk” already analyzed the great, almost euphoric attention part of the domestic media outlets have paid to the Summit even before it had begun, recognizing a signal that behind the Russian president has stood a coalition of countries which represent 45 percent of the global population and 35 percent of the global economy.

However, what media outlets, especially national and ones with great influence, have failed to report is that there were Macedonians present at the BRICS Summit. Not just any Macedonians, but the well-known supporters of Russia and its president Vladimir Putin, Goran Taskovski from the Makedonska era treta — suverenisti [sovereignists]  party and Vladimir Trajkovski from the so-called media outlet Sloboden Svet, former member of the Rodina party and current member of Makedonska era treta — suverenisti [sovereignists].

Taskovski and Trajkovski, as they have informed themselves, broadcasting on the YouTube channel at the BRICS Summit, were invited to attend, they did not have to ask, and they boast about being the only representatives in Kazan, not from Macedonia, but from the entire Balkans. This is not true, since there were four Serbian ministers present at the Summit, as well as Milorad Dodik, the Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the video published on the YouTube channel Sloboden Svet, Taskovski and Trajkovski, with the flag of the Vergina Sun laid out on the table, speak with great admiration of the BRICS, using well-known narratives which serve the Kremlin propaganda, but also place disinformation which Truthmeter.mk has already debunked and which glorifies Russia and Putin.

When everyone saw us, when they saw our flag of the Vergina Sun, they were all fascinated, we are the only ones from all the countries present who are here as members, as well as guests and we could also say applicants, that carry their own flag. They tell us we are very dedicated, you love your country and you should become members of BRICS as soon as possible. This is where Macedonia belongs. Here, we are Macedonians, there is no North, full-blooded Macedonians and we must be abnormal as peoples and as individuals if we do not desire this. Our trade with these countries, the markets, the name, the history, the identity, everything that is Macedonian or properly priced, and everything we produce will go to their markets without conditions, just as it is. We told some people that in order to enter the EU, we were forced to humiliate ourselves to the point of changing our name, flag, culture, history, and identity and people were shocked, Taskovski and Trajkovski informed their followers.

Furthermore, they mentioned the dollar is already dead and buried, while the BRICS members standardize their forms of payment in order to have an agreed method of payment.

They also do not fail to mention that by joining BRICS we would be normal people and not “a male in the morning, female in the afternoon and teach children this in kindergartens.”

The dollar is not dead

The claim by the two “sovereignists” that the dollar is already dead and buried is not true. Namely, Putin himself was decisive on the matter that the BRICS countries will not reject the dollar.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear at the summit that the BRICS nations are not outright rejecting the US dollar but preparing alternatives if access to it continues to be restricted. By exploring alternative currencies for trade, BRICS seeks to mitigate the risks posed by such political measures, writes “Financial Express.”

The media outlet clarifies “the bill was not an official note, but simply a mock-up presented to the Russian leader by enthusiasts,” officials confirmed for “Financial Express.”

The narrative claiming BRICS will create its own currency which will be in competition with the US dollar, has been recycling since 2014 when The New Development Bank of the BRICS was established, but you will not find data that the “capital” of Тhe New Development Bank of BRICS is 100 billion dollars, while the capital of the International Monetary Fund is almost 700 billion dollars.

Truthmeter.mk has already written on the topic of BRICS not having its own currency.

Would North Macedonia benefit from possible BRICS memebership?

To answer the question of whether North Macedonia would benefit from possible membership in the BRICS, data on the commodity exchange of North Macedonia with foreign countries is extremely significant, a topic on which Truthmeter.mk already wrote about.

According to the State Statistical Office, North Macedonia, in the period between January and June of 2023, had total exports abroad of almost 4.6 billion US dollars. Of those, Macedonian goods were by far the most exported to EU member states, over 3.6 billion US dollars. The country’s second most important economic partner is the Western Balkans, where during this period we have exported goods worth about 527 million US dollars to Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania in this period.

Macedonia’s exports to the countries of the BRICS group are symbolic and are primarily directed to China and Russia, and much less to India, the South African Republic, and Brazil, as the largest members of this group. What is most important, the data of the State Statistical Office show that trade surplus, that is, higher value of exports compared to imports of goods, North Macedonia achieves the most with EU member states and with EFTA (European Free Trade Association in which Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are members).

 

For Russia we are North Macedonia

Contrary to Taskovski and Trajkovski’s claim that for Russia we are Macedonia, the facts say the Russian Federation accepted the new name of our country in 2019 and since then has been addressing us as the Republic of North Macedonia. On the 19^th of February, 2019, the Russian Embassy in Skopje received a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the government in Skopje about the new name of the state.

Consequently, Moscow recognizes the country under the new name: “Republic of North Macedonia,” it is stated in the announcement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affars, reported Nezavisen.

On the official webpage of the Russian Embassy in Skopje it says we are the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as on the Facebook and Telegram page of the embassy — it says we are the Republic of North Macedonia.

Truthmeter.mk has analyzed the inconsistency and duplicity of the Russian foreign policy towards the Macedonians.

The claims of Taskovski and Trajkovski, on the other hand, that with BRICS membership we will be normal people, that we will not be men in the morning and women in the afternoon and that children will not be taught such things in kindergarten, favors Russian propaganda and the attempt to present Putin as the defender of traditional and family values against the depraved West.

It is a myth the West wants to destroy “traditional values,” or that “Russia is fighting a holy war against godless Satanists in Ukraine to protect Christianity and traditional values,” assesses EuvsDisinfo in its analysis on the Russian war in Ukraine.

Often, pro-Kremlin disinformation pundits, particularly Vladimir Solovyov, deploy this disinformation narrative in conjunction with unfounded accusations against Ukraine for allegedly attempting to destroy the Orthodox Church. This manipulative tactic picked up steam in 2019 when the Orthodox Church of Ukraine was granted the status of an independent church and again in November 2022 when the Ukrainian government announced it would draw up a law banning churches affiliated with Russia, writes EuvsDisinfo.

You can read more on this topic in the analysis of Truthmeter.mk

Who are Vladimir Trajkovski and Goran Taskovski

Taskovski and Trajkovski come from the Makedonska era treta — suverenisti [sovereignists] party, whose moto for the last parliamentary elections was “I vote for sovereign Macedonia” (translated). Taskovski was the holder in the Fifth Constituency, while Trajkovski led the list in the First Constituency. Vlado Pavlov, a pseudo-historian from Kochani, whose views have been analyzed by Truthmeter.mk, has been nominated by the party as the candidate in the Third Constituency. The party won 968 votes in the elections.

Before joining the Makedonska era treta — suverenisti [sovereignists], Trajkovski was a member of the pro-Russian party Rodina Makedonija, which had been a source of disinformation about Ukraine even before the Russian invasion. The party “Rodina Makedonija” is one of the anti-Western parties which openly support Putin on the “defascisation” of Ukraine and which called for the protest “NO TO RUSSOPHOBIA!” The pro-Russian “Rodina Makedonija” appeared on the Macedonian political stage in 2019, first on social networks, and then in 2020 as a registered party with three main orientations: “NO to the Prespa Agreement; NO to the European Union and NO to NATO!”

In September of 2022, membership began to shift from one political party to another with pro-Russian views. Namely, the founders of the party Rodina Makedonija asked the Constitutional Court for protection and the opportunity to exercise their right to withdraw from the party, because as they explained, “they no longer see themselves in it, nor do they share its ideology.” A total of 247 founders of the party, through an initiative submitted by the lawyer Trajche Arsov from Veles, submitted a request for the protection of the right to freedom of thought and public expression of thought, political association and action, and prohibition of discrimination based on political affiliation.

Makedonska era treta — suverenisti [sovereignists] was formed in February of 2021, based in Bitola, while its leader Goran Taskovski is a former ambassador to Turkey.

On its Facebook page, the party promotes pro-Russian stances and ideologies.

 

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