Republic of Vevčani

Republic of Vevčani
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Thank you God for being a Vevčanese[1]
Status current
Official languages Vevčanese
Ethnic groups Macedonians 99.4%
Others 0.6%
Demonym Vevčanese
Government
 •  Mayor Vasil Radinoski
Establishment
 •  Declared 19 September 1991 
Area
 •  Total 22.8 km2
9 sq mi
Population
 •  estimate 3656 residents
Currency Vevčani ličnik (de facto)[2]
Macedonian denar (official)
Time zone CET

The Republic of Vevčani (Macedonian: Вевчани ['vɛftʃani]) -also known as the Independent Republic of Vevčani- was a short lived self-proclaimed country on the territory of Macedonia after the fall of Yugoslavia in 1991 and as of 2000 is a micronation.[3] The residents of the same-named village planned to create their own independent state right after the Vevčani Emergency in 1987 because of the attempt of the Communist government to redirect the water springs of the village which resulted with massive demonstrations from the people of Vevčani. Soon after the accident the villagers spoke for independent Vevčani and more democracy in SFR Yugoslavia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia the residents made a new independent state of Vevčani on 19 September 1991[2] having in plan to preserve the springs and to increase tourism. Vevčani proclaimed a republic and made their own flag and coat of arms. Soon after the self-proclamation on the 8th of April 1993[2] Vevčani fall under jurisdiction of the Struga Municipality of Macedonia and the republic came to an end. In 2000 the republic was recreated as a model country to attract tourism.

Birth of the concept for independent Vevčani

During the Vevčani Emergency where for the first time in former Yugoslavia were used electrical hitting sticks by the police to stop a protest.[3] This was not likely taken by the Vevčani residents and they even more started to protest against as they said the brutality in SFRY. After the emergency the citizens of Vevčani strongly stood on their positions on the question for the redirecting of the water springs. Seeing that they have no support on their views by no one from the SR Macedonia Vevčani citizens want to create their own independent state. On the 19 September 1991, 11 days after the independence of the Republic of Macedonia Vevčani declares a state.

After the self-proclamation The New York Times said:[4]

Their village is just a dot on the map, but the people here consider it a country in its own right: a self-proclaimed Balkan state that has been defying authority for more than a decade.

There is a lot of whimsy in applying the term republic to Vevcani, a mountain hamlet tucked in the southwestern corner of Macedonia just over the border from Albania.

But nationhood is a state of mind for the 2,500 villagers, who say their independent spirit helped them preserve the peace when much of the rest of the Balkans disintegrated into warfare in the 1990's.

We may seem radical in our ways, but we were determined not to let anyone manipulate us, one villager, Nenad Batkovski, said over coffee in Macedonia's capital, Skopje, where he is Vevcani's self-styled consul.

Vevcani is a Christian village surrounded by Muslim neighbors. That is often a recipe for disaster in the ethnically tense Balkans, but the village lives peacefully with its neighbors.

Vevčani ličnik

After the self-proclamation Vevčani wanted economic independence also and created its own currency the Ličnik. The currency came in 8 denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000. The artist of the money was Simun Lesoski.

Republic of Vevčani
Личник
Ličnik
Denominations
Plural Ličnici
Symbol вев
Banknotes 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000
Demographics
User(s) Vevčani, Republic of Macedonia (official until 1993)
Issuance
Central bank Bank of the Republic of Vevčani
Series Value Obverse Reverse
2000 1 Ličnik Vasil Radinoski, first president of FECC Macedonia Water springs of Vevčani
2000 2 Ličnik Monastery St. John Bigorski Writing on the three fountains in St. John
2000 5 Ličnik Mihajlo Pupin Family tree of Mihajlo Pupin
2000 10 Ličnik St. Vasilij 13th and 14 January
2000 50 Ličnik Traditional brides dress of Vevčani Ploska
2000 100 Ličnik Dimitar N. Daskalov Elementary school in Vevčani
2000 500 Ličnik Naum Poposki - Maliodzha Ottoman Turkish deed
2000 1000 Ličnik "Felki" - S. Razmoski Stojan J. Razmoski with a drawing of Jesus Christ

Further reading

See also

References

  1. ↑ Utrinski Newspaper - about Carnival tradition in Vevčani
  2. 1 2 3 Numismondo site dedicated to the Republic of Vevčani
  3. 1 2 Kanal 5 Code episode about Vevčani
  4. ↑ The New York Times - Macedonia Tolerates A 'Republic' In Its Midst

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