The artist Ilia Penushliski he publicly demands the withdrawal of his picture, which is now on display in the new Bulgarian Cultural Center in Skopje, which is on display as part of the exhibition entitled "Together".

- Until the Bulgarian politics stops with the primitive and for us painfully insulting encroachments on the core of our existence, any "cultural cooperation" will be a travesty - writes Penushliski, who says that the painting is exhibited in the Bulgarian Cultural Center without his knowledge.

Here's the artist's full reaction:

"In Skopje, these days, in the new Bulgarian cultural center, an art exhibition of works by several Bulgarian and several of our painters was opened. The exhibition is titled 'Together'.

I wonder, what is the point of this exhibition? Who does she represent? In a normal world, such an exhibition would be a common example of cultural cooperation between two peoples.

But in view of the cemented Bulgarian attitude towards the non-existence of the Macedonian nation, in the Macedonian language, and from there on Macedonian painting and culture, the answer is imposed - for them, the Bulgarians, the exhibition cannot be anything but an exhibition of works by Bulgarians Bulgarians and Macedonian Bulgarians.

And, at that exhibition, they pushed me too. With a picture I painted at the Galician Art Colony twenty years ago. I learn from surprised friends that my name is also on the window of the center. So, let the bazaar see who all participates in this event. I am asking the Galician Colony to withdraw my picture from this exhibition. I request that the Bulgarian center delete my name from the window.

Until the Bulgarian politics stops with the primitive and for us painfully offensive encroachments on the core of our existence, any 'cultural cooperation' will be a travesty", says the artist.