Secret Macedonian Committee
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The Secret Macedonian Committee (Macedonian: Таен македонски комитет, romanized: Taen makedonski komitet; Serbian: Тајни македонски комитет, Tajni makedonski komitet; SMC) was a secret organization established in 1885 or 1886 by Macedonian Slavs in Sofia, Bulgaria. It promoted а Slavic Macedonian identity, distinguished especially from the ethnic identity of the Bulgarians, the re-establishment of the Archbishopric of Ohrid as a separate entity from the Bulgarian Exarchate, the promotion of the Macedonian language, etc.[1][2] Its leaders were Naum Evro(vić), Kosta Grupče(vić), Vasil Karajovev and Temko Popov(ić).[3]
History
The organization was established in 1885 or 1886 by Macedonian Slavs in Sofia, Bulgaria,[4][5] operating illegally.[1] It was anti-Bulgarian and its establishment marked the beginning of the pro-Serbian activities by its activists.[6] According to the Bulgarian police, it had around 20 young people who promoted the idea of Macedonian separatism, especially that Macedonians were distinct from Bulgarians.[4] Its leaders went to Belgrade in 1886, where they had negotiations with the Government of Serbia on collecting funds for the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and opening church-school communities, publishing a magazine Macedonian Voice in Macedonian in Constantinople (which would be against Bulgarian influence and pro-Ottoman),[5] opening schools throughout Ottoman Macedonia and hiring teachers that would teach Macedonian, printing books in Macedonian, etc.[4][7][8] These activists were educated in Serbia or at least under Serbian influence.[5] In accordance with the Serbo-Macedonian cooperation in the same year in Constantinople, the Association of Serbo-Macedonians was founded. This compromise with the Serbian interests in Macedonia later led to abandonment of its separatist program altogether.[9] The Bulgarian police discovered and disbanded SMC. Most of its members left Bulgaria and some went to Serbia.[4] Those who went to Belgrade supported the Serbian policy.[10] The Macedonian historiography has perceived the beginning of Macedonian separatism with SMC's activity.[4]