Macedonia: Republic of Vevcani

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Vevcani, Macedonia: a quiet street

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I took a short minibus ride to the resort town of Struga, from where I would catch another bus to the self-proclaimed Republic of Vevcani.  Vevcani is a charming town, population 2,500, located on a hill outside of Struga, about 45 minutes away from Ohrid.  It is a Christian village surrounded by Muslim villages, usually a recipe for disaster in the Balkans.

However, the people of Vevcani are an independent lot and always got along with their neighbors.  Disgusted by the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, the residents of Vevcani held a referendum on independence where 99% of the voters favored creating the Republic of Vevcani.

Macedonia largely ignored the events in Vevcani, and, to this day, its residents still consider themselves as being in their own country.  Vevcani attracts curious tourists, such as myself, and they even have souvenir passports and currency that they sell (I had to buy a passport). 

Vevcani, Macedonia: my passport expires in 2015...I'm serious, the guy really wrote in the expiration date

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The village itself is picturesque and peaceful.  A steeply graded main street lined with clean, modest houses leads to an attractive church.   Near this church is the town restaurant which serves as the unofficial souvenir shop for passports and currency. 

The poverty that is prevalent through much of Macedonia does not exist in Vevcani.  Here it appears that everyone is living quite comfortably with little distraction.  My visit didn't last long, as there really wasn't much to see except for to stroll around the quiet streets.  However, it was fantastic change of pace. 

I waited patiently for the bus to Struga, along with several other residents who kept to themselves, quietly enjoying the beautiful day.