

Иван Михайлов за Тодор Александров.
Едно интервю с Иван Михайлов (на английски език), публикувано във в. "Македонска Трибуна", за живота и смъртта на легандарниот вожд на македонските българи и ВМРО - Тодор Александров.
"...I saw the same figure which I remembered since my childhood. He walked quietly, talked softly and he always wore a concentrated and piercing look. He spoke with emphasis and looked as if he was stressing each spoken word. He was extremely friendly and his relations with the people were open and above board. He would never issue an order, but you have him under the impression that the recommendations he made during the course of the conversation have the force of law. Todor can be viewed from three different angles: as a person, as a fighter for freedom and as a public figure, or if you please as a politician...
Question - ...The same critics contend that Todor was pleading too much for the Bulgarian cause. As a matter of fact they even accuse the present Macedonian organizations of doing the same thing.
Answer - The Macedonian patriots of Bulgarian descent must be commended that even though they are Bulgarians by past history and national consciousness they decline to be annexed to Bulgaria and they should not be condemned that they demand for themselves the privilege to live unpreturbed in a free and independent Macedonia.
I have stated before that the Macedonian struggle is not waged solely because we are fond of a single concept such as Autonomy, Federation, Confederation, etc. On the contrary, the purpose of our struggle is to secure national freedom and development. Who would be interested in independence or any other solution if it dooms our nationality to extinction?
If one can not understand this then it means too that he has not been able to grasp the program of IMRO from the day of its founding. The interest of the Macedono-Bulgarians toward Bulgaria proper would diminish considerably, if the Bulgarian state decides to suppress our Bulgarian feelings. This happened in 1944 when the Bulgarian communist party tried to impose by force, a so-called "Macedonian Nation" in the district of Pirin. A similar situation prevailed after the military coup in 1934...
...The idea for a united and free Macedonia does not sit good with these nationalists. In this respect they are imitated today by the Bulgarian communists who in regard to the Macedonian question display an incredible clownishness. Gradually and stedily they tend to omit the name "Macedonia" when they refer to the Pirin area. The leaders of the political circle "Zveno" displayed the same disregard for the name "Macedonia" in 1934.
In both cases these Bulgarians rendered beneficial services only to Belgrade. Thus, by omitting the name of "Macedonia" in 1934 when reference was made to the Pirin district, they helped the popularization of the other Macedonian districts under the names imposed by the Serbians such as "Southern Serbia". Today when they very carefully evade to identify the Pirin area with its proper name – Pirin Macedonia – they render another service to Belgrade by making it possible for them to claim that only in Yugoslavia one would find an area known as Macedonia. In other words they make it possible with the passing of time for this area to be identified as part of the Serbian lands.
...In any event Todor's best eloquence were his actions. They inspired our orators outside of Macedonia.
Among the advices which could easily be detected during the short, but productive sessions with him, this one stands out and should serve as a guide to all of us:
"Plan modestly, but accomplish it; Do not involve yourselves in something you cannot finish."
We should heed this advice. Accomplished goals, even small ones, give courage to forge ahead. The unsuccessful ones, regardless how carefully they have been planned at the organizational stage, bring disappointments.
The lessons that Alexandroff left us are numerous. His lifetime struggle is both an example and a pride for our people."
Източник: Сканирана от оригинален екземпляр
Автор: Иван (Ванчо, Ванче) Михайлов Гаврилов (1896-1990, Рим, Италия)
е легендарен български революционер, последният дългогодишен
лидер на ВМРО.
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