Partitioning of Macedonia

In the broader sense the Ilinden Uprising made a major contribution to forming a new democratic world in the Balkans. The Krushevo Manifesto, which announced the principles of the revolution, proclaimed in a profoundly democratic way equal rights for Macedonians, Turks, Albanians, Vlachs and all other ethnic groups living in Macedonia. But the outcome of the Balkan Wars in 1912 and 1913 had devastating consequences for Macedonian people. After victory over the Ottoman Empire by the Balkan Alliance, the ethnic territory of Macedonia was partitioned among its members Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece, a small portion having been assigned to Albania, in accordance with the Bucharest Peace Treaty of 10 August 1913. Despite all efforts to raise the issue of an autonomous Macedonian state the same division was confirmed by the Versailles Peace Treaty after World War I.