▁an ▁independent ▁country ▁on ▁ 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁Ge ograph ically ▁SR ▁Mac ed onia ▁border ed ▁Alban ia ▁to ▁the ▁west , ▁Greece ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁Bulg aria ▁to ▁the ▁east . ▁Within ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁it ▁border ed ▁Ser bia ▁( including ▁S AP ▁Kos ovo ) ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁first ▁Mac ed onian ▁state ▁was ▁formally ▁proc laimed ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁Democratic ▁Federal ▁Mac ed onia ▁() ▁at ▁the ▁First ▁Pl en ary ▁Session ▁of ▁the ▁Anti - F asc ist ▁Assembly ▁for ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Liber ation ▁of ▁Mac ed onia ▁( AS N OM ) ▁during ▁the ▁National ▁Liber ation ▁War ▁of ▁Mac ed onia ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁It ▁was ▁set ▁up ▁ ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁in ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁occupation ▁zone ▁in ▁Y ug oslav ia . ▁This ▁date ▁is ▁now ▁celebrated ▁by ▁eth nic ▁Mac ed oni ans ▁as ▁the ▁day ▁they ▁were ▁first ▁allowed ▁to ▁freely ▁state ▁their ▁national ity . ▁It ▁was ▁chosen ▁intention ally , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁Il inden ▁U pr ising ▁against ▁Ott oman ▁rule ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁However , ▁after ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁Army ▁retre ated ▁from ▁the ▁region ▁under ▁Soviet ▁pressure , ▁on ▁ 8 ▁September , ▁right - wing ▁IM RO ▁national ists ▁declared ▁a ▁pro - G erman ▁Mac ed onian ▁pu ppet - state . ▁In ▁early