Establishment of MASA

By decree promulgating the Law on the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (Decree No. 18/67 of February 23, 1967), the Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia enacted the Law on the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Pursuant to the Law, a Founding Committee was appointed to undertake the preparations necessary for the commencement of the work of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, with the following composition:

  1. Prof. Anton Babić – Full Member of ANUBiH,
  2. Dr. Milan Bartoš – Vice-President of SANU,
  3. Dr. Ksente Bogoev – Rector of the University in Skopje,
  4. Dr. Miroslav Karšulin – Secretary General of JAZU,
  5. Prof. Blaže Koneski – Corresponding Member of JAZU and SAZU,
  6. Dr. Bratko Kreft – Full Member of SAZU,
  7. Dr. Haralampie Polenaković – Corresponding Member of SANU.

Second session of the Founding Committee for the election of the first members of MASA, held on August 18, 1967 at Villa “Urania” in Ohrid. From left: Ksente Bogoev, Bratko Kreft, Miroslav Karšulin, Milan Bartoš, Blaže Koneski, Haralampie Polenaković, Anto Babić.

The first 14 full members of MASA were elected on August 18, 1967, at the National Museum in Ohrid. The following were elected:

  1. MIHAILO APOSTOLSKI, Director of the Institute of National History – Skopje,
  2. Dr. DIMITAR ARSOV, Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine – Skopje,
  3. VASIL ILJOSKI, writer,
  4. SLAVKO JANEVSKI, writer,
  5. BLAŽE KONESKI, Full Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy – Skopje,
  6. NIKOLA MARTINOSKI, academic painter,
  7. KIRIL MILJOVSKI, Ambassador and Full Professor at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje,
  8. DIMITAR MITREV, Full Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy – Skopje,
  9. Dr. MIHAIL PETRUŠEVSKI, Full Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy – Skopje,
  10. Dr. HARALAMPIE POLENAKOVIĆ, Full Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy – Skopje,
  11. Dr. BLAGOJ POPOV, Full Professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – Skopje,
  12. Dr. Eng. PETAR SERAFIMOV, Full Professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Skopje,
  13. Dr. h.c., Dr. Agr. GJORGJI FILIPOVSKI, Full Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry – Skopje,
  14. ACO ŠOPOV, writer.

The First Members of MASA

The President, Vice-President and Secretary of MASA were elected at the First Assembly of the Academy, held on October 9, 1967 in Skopje. The following academicians were elected to these offices:

  1. Acad. Blaže Koneski, President,
  2. Acad. Haralampie Polenaković, Vice-President,
  3. Acad. Gjorgji Filipovski, sekretar.

The first leadership of MASA (from left): Gjorgji Filipovski, Blaže Koneski and Haralampie Polenaković

The formal opening of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts took place on October 10, 1967, in the Grand Hall of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia. In addition to MASA members and delegations from the fellow academies of the other republics, the opening ceremony was attended by numerous representatives of the Republic’s public, scientific and cultural life.
The ceremonial assembly was opened by the President of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Acad. Blaže Koneski, and was addressed by Mito Hadži Vasilev, President of the Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia; Acad. Grga Novak, President of JAZU; Acad. Velibor Gligorić, President of SANU; Acad. Josip Vidmar, President of SAZU; and Acad. Vaso Butozan, President of ANUBiH.
From that day onward, the Academy began its scientific and cultural activities as defined by the legal act establishing it.
At the Eleventh Session of the Council of Academies of Sciences and Arts of the SFRY, held on October 10, 1967, the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts was admitted as a member of the Council, thereby joining the other Yugoslav academies of sciences and arts.
On March 8, 1968, following consideration by the Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, the Assembly of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts adopted the Statute of MASA.
The establishment of MASA received wide attention both in the country and abroad. More than 40 academies from numerous countries on all continents welcomed its establishment. The academies of sciences and arts of Yugoslavia presented MASA with sets of their publications issued since their respective foundations. The German Research Foundation in Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany, likewise presented the Academy with a substantial collection of publications.
In March 1968, members of the Presidency of MASA were elected; until then, its functions had been performed by the Executive Board of the Academy.