The ASNOM principles on the question of human rights as a factor influencing the coexistence of various nationalities in Macedonia

Abstract

The article examines the place of human rights within Macedonia’s constitutional tradition, with particular emphasis on the legacy of the Anti-Fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM) established in 1944. The author analyzes the influence of ASNOM’s documents on the development of principles governing the coexistence of different national and ethnic groups and on the evolution of Macedonian statehood. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the continuity of human rights concepts from the period of national liberation struggles to the contemporary constitutional tradition of the Republic of Macedonia. The research is based on a historical-legal method involving the analysis of ASNOM documents, constitutional acts, and literature concerning human rights and interethnic relations. The author argues that the concept of human rights promoted by ASNOM stemmed both from aspirations for national freedom and from the specific character of Macedonia’s multiethnic society. Particular importance was attached to tolerance, mutual respect, and recognition of the cultural, religious, and historical diversity of individual communities. According to the author, many of the adopted solutions anticipated standards that later became common in the region and corresponded closely to contemporary European ideals of pluralism, democracy, and the protection of individual rights. The conclusions emphasize that the legacy of ASNOM played a crucial role in the construction of Macedonian statehood and established lasting foundations for democratic interethnic relations. The significance of these principles remains relevant in the contemporary Republic of Macedonia and constitutes an important element of its constitutional tradition.