On Our Own: A Short History of Macedonian Independence (1990–1993)

The book On Our Own: A Short History of Macedonian Independence (1990–1993) (Сами на своето-кратка историја на македонската независност (1990-1993) by Mišo Dokmanovikj is a clear, tightly argued narrative of how Macedonia moved from one-party socialism to statehood. Framed by the question “Why On Our Own?”, it follows the arc from the 1990 multiparty elections through the Declaration of Sovereignty (January 1991), the independence referendum (8 September 1991), and the adoption of the Constitution (17 November 1991), setting these domestic milestones against the disintegration of Yugoslavia.

The core chapters map the Yugoslav crisis and the external factor: the European Community’s mediation and the Badinter Arbitration Commission, shifting positions of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Russia, and their impact on recognition. Parallel sections examine relations with neighbors - Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia/FRY, including the name dispute with Greece, the peaceful withdrawal of theYugoslav People's Army (JNA) from Macedonian territory, and the legal-diplomatic tactics Skopje used to avoid the wars around it.

The narrative blends official documents, press reports, and diplomatic correspondence to show how small-state prudence and institutional restraint steered the country toward international acceptance, culminating in UN admission in April 1993 under a provisional reference.

The book closes with “Thirty Conclusions,” distilling lessons about constitutionalism, compromise, and multilateralism as tools of survival for a new state. Dokmanovikj emphasizes that Macedonia’s independence was not a single event but a sequence of decisions calibrated to regional risks and great-power preferences. The result is both a concise primer and a strategic case study in navigating transition, recognition, and sovereignty amid the breakup of a federation.