The Multiculturalism in Republic of Macedonia, Observed Through the Perceptions for the Symbols of the Other Ethnic Groups: Framework of the Symbolic Interactionism
Asst. Prof. Kire Sharlamanov, Asst. Prof. Aleksandar Stojanovski

Abstract
Republic of Macedonia is a young country in Southeastern Europe, which gained its independence with a referendum from the former Yugoslav federation, on 08.09.1991. Former Yugoslavia federation was a country with ethnically heterogeneous population composed of six republics and two provinces. Due to the lack of the insufficiently well regulated interethnic conditions in the Constitutions of former Yugoslavia, as well as the ressentiment of the Second World War, few bloody interethnic military conflicts occurred in the 1990’s. In this study we reveal some of the characteristics of coexistence and multiculturalism in Republic of Macedonia, analysising the different perceptions that the members of the various ethnic groups have for the national symbols. In particular, we analyzed the data obtained from a questionnaire. In this survey the participants were asked to express their opinion about the ethnical symbols, in particular, about the flags and coats of arms of the others.

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