Petko R. Slaveikov, The Macedonian question
“ When Bulgarians assimilated in themselves, or better yet, when Slavs assimilated in themselves the Bulgarians not only in Macedonia, but also in the other areas of the Balkan peninsula, I don't know why the macedonian mix should be of a separate genus, and the tracian and bulgarian one of a different one. Such reasonings can give only the stupid children, that don't know what is a historic testimony. ”
Petko R. Slaveikov, The Macedonian question
“ Then, if not Bulgarians, then nothing. If today we have a bulgarian nation, if it became known and earned its place among the other nations in Turkey, it has achieved that only throught union and by demonstrating its significance in number, throught that it will establish itself, through that it will stabilize its position, and protect itself from external attacks. The good position today is earned more by unification, and not by division on peaces that are weak and insignificant. ”
Petko R. Slaveikov, The Macedonian question
“ Elementary education is fruitful only when it is conducted in the language which the children can understand. But the whole problem here is that it has not been chosen a way that would not lead to the separation of the dialects but to their union and agreement. However wrong it is to teach the little Macedonians in the dialect of the upper Bulgarians, it is just as wrong to split the language in the schools into various dialects, everyone following their own dialect and paying no attention to the others. ”
