Macedonians in Croatia refers to the group of ethnic Macedonians who reside in

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. According to the official census of 2011, there are 4,138 ethnic Macedonians in Croatia. Macedonians are recognised as an autochthonous national minority, and as such they elect a special representative to the

Croatian Parliament The Croatian Parliament ( hr, Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sabor ...

, shared with members of four other national minorities.

Migration

Macedonians had been migrating to Croatia since

SFR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yug ...

. Early migration was primarily of Macedonians from a rural background. These migrants have been joined by many newer business migrants who have come to Croatia for the opportunities offered. Many settled in the national capital

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

, and the

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...

region. Macedonian communities can be also found in larger towns such as

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

Pula Pula (; also known as Pola, it, Pola , hu, Pòla, Venetian language, Venetian; ''Pola''; Istriot language, Istriot: ''Puola'', Slovene language, Slovene: ''Pulj'') is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, and the List of cities and town ...

, and

Zadar Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serv ...

Culture

The main Macedonian cultural association in Croatia is the ''Macedonian Community in Republic of Croatia'' ( hr, Croatian, Zajednica Makedonaca u Republici Hrvatskoj). It was founded in 1992 and it branches over six other smaller organisations from the major cities where Macedonians reside. The Cultural associations are as follows; KUD-Ohridski Biser from Zagreb, KUD-Makedonija from Split, KUD-Biljana from

, KUD-Brak Miladinov from

, KUD-Ilinden from

Rijeka Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...

and KUD-Kočo Racin from

. The associations encourage traditional Macedonian folklore and customs from the motherland. They also encourage the upkeep of Macedonian heritage,

language Language is a structured system of communication. The structure of a language is its grammar and the free components are its vocabulary. Languages are the primary means by which humans communicate, and may be conveyed through a variety of met ...

and traditions in Croatia.

Religion

Macedonians in

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

are predominantly adherents to the

Macedonian Orthodox Church The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid (MOC-AO; mk, Македонска православна црква – Охридска архиепископија), or simply the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) or the Archdiocese o ...

. There are four organised church communities which are abbreviated to the MPCO ( mk, italic=yes, Makedonska Pravoslavna Crkovna Opština). The four Communities are St. Zlata Meglenska of Zagreb, St.

Naum of Ohrid Saint Naum (Bulgarian and Macedonian: Свети Наум, ''Sveti Naum''), also known as Naum of Ohrid or Naum of Preslav (c. 830 – December 23, 910) was a medieval Bulgarian writer, enlightener, one of the Seven Apostles of the First Bul ...

in Split, St.

Joachim of Osogovo Joachim of Osogovo or Joachim Osogovski was a Bulgarian hermit, now a saint, a contemporary of Gabriel of Lesnovo and Prohor of Pčinja. Joachim was named after a mountain, the Osogovo, no differently than Prohor Pčinjski who, too, was named aft ...

and St. Tsar Constantin and Tsaritsa Elena of

. Father

Kiro Velinski Kiro was a colonial post in what is now the Central Equatoria province of South Sudan on the west side of the Bahr al Jebel or White Nile river. It was in part of the Lado enclave. In 1900 there were said to be 1,500 troops from the Congo Free S ...

holds liturgy in Zagreb and Split.

Media

There are several Macedonian language newspapers operating in Croatia. The most prominent is ''Makedonski glas'' ( mk, Македонски Глас, meaning ''Macedonian voice'') which has been in print since the 1990s. It is printed with financial assistance from the Croatian government.Makedonski Glas-http://zmurh.hr/cms/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=27

Macedonians by counties and cities

Notable Macedonian Croatians

* Ljupka Dimitrovska - singer * Ljiljana Nikolovska - singer *

Aki Rahimovski Parni Valjak (; "steamroller") is a Croatian and former Yugoslav rock band. They were one of the top acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene, and one of the top rock bands in Croatia. Biography Parni Valjak was founded in 1975 in Zagreb. Unlike ...

- singer *

Ordan Petlevski Ordan Petlevski (24 January 1930, Prilep – 22 January 1997, Zagreb) was a prominent artist working in the media of painting, drawing, graphic arts and illustration. Education and career In the early 1950s, Petlevski came to study in Zagreb, wher ...

- artist *

Sibila Petlevski Sibila Petlevski (born 11 May 1964) is a Croatian writer of Macedonian descent, who is a poet, playwright, and Professor at the Academy of Dramatic Arts, University of Zagreb. Biography Petlevski was born in Zagreb on 11 May 1964. Her fathe ...

- author * Goce Sedloski - football manager, former footballer * Branko Trajkov - drummer * Kostadinka Velkovska - actor

References

External links

Union of Macedonians in ZagrebCommunity of Macedonians in Croatia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macedonians In Croatia Ethnic groups in Croatia Macedonian diaspora