Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi

Öz

North Macedonia was one of the six federal republics of Yugoslavia that began disintegration after the death of Josip Broz Tito, who ruled Yugoslavia for 35 years from 1945 to 1980. One of the key countries from which this republic, which declared its independence on September 17, 1991, sought support for international recognition was Türkiye, with which it shares historical, social, and cultural ties. By 1991, as the disintegration of Yugoslavia intensified, Türkiye, guided by its traditionally cautious foreign policy and the international community's perspective on the issue, maintained a position in favor of Yugoslavia's territorial integrity, urging the republics to resolve their disputes through dialogue. However, once it became clear that dissolution was unavoidable, the recognition of the republics declaring their independence gained prominence. This shift in discourse was increasingly articulated during the 49th Government of the Republic of Türkiye, established under Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel on November 20, 1991, as opposition parties exerted significant pressure on the government, particularly regarding the recognition of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of North Macedonia. A critical development that bolstered the government's stance on this issue arose on international platforms as the European Economic Community recognized Slovenia and Croatia on January 15, 1992, creating an opportunity for Türkiye to extend recognition to these republics. Indeed, with the Council of Ministers' decision dated February 6, 1992, Türkiye officially recognized the republics of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, and North Macedonia without discrimination. Thus, this study aims to discuss the recognition process of Türkiye, which made history as the second country to recognize the Republic of North Macedonia after Bulgaria. The Turkish press of the period, documents from the Republic of Türkiye Archives, and published official documents such as the Histories of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the minutes of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye were extensively used, alongside relevant copyrighted works, articles, and symposium proceedings that supported the topic.