2020-05-12 Tue

North Macedonia has issued commemorative postage stamps as part of the "North Macedonia in the EU" series ahead of Europe Day, including one dedicated to Croatia as the current president of the Council of the European Union. The stamp was labeled scandalous because it showed the image of St. Mark's Church and the stylized Croatian flag in the form of the Ustasha Independent State of Croatia's (NDH) Greater Croatia. In it, Bosnia and parts of Serbia and Montenegro would make up the Greater Croatia.

The Independent State of Croatia was a puppet state of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy during World War II. It was formed in parts of occupied Yugoslavia in 1941, after the invasion by the Axis powers. Its territory was made up of most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia, parts of modern-day Serbia and Slovenia.

Serbia presented a protest note with North Macedonia's charge d'affairs, saying that the stamp is an attempt at historical revisionism that undermines bilateral relations between Serbia and North Macedonia and cooperation and stability in the entire region. The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that the stamp be immediately withdrawn from circulation and that the government of North Macedonia condemn the move.

North Macedonia's postal service later expressed regret for displaying a wrong map of Croatia and other countries in the region, adding that the entire circulation of 6,000 stamps was being withdrawn. The state-owned company said it was an unintentional mistake and that the stamp was meant to be a mark of gratitude to Croatia for supporting North Macedonia's EU integration bid. Croatia acknowledged the apology offered by North Macedonia's postal service and expressed hope that this incident, which was seen as an attempt to rewrite historical facts, would not affect the otherwise good relations between the two countries.

To know more about stamps Visit philamart to view and purchase variety of stamps from all over the world.

Image Courtesy: twitter.com