Excerpt from the Byzantian cronicle states that
during visit to Emperor Vasilis
Basil II "the Bulgar-Slayer"
(Βασίλειος Β΄ ὁ Βουλγαροκτόνος)
Scytian delegation
composed of Croatian and Serbian representatives
demanded to become subjects to the Byzant
after terrible raids of Romans in Dalmatia.
source;
Skylitzes Chronicle
original transcript and translation on the pictures.
The Slovaks of Hungary-Slavs and Panslavism,
Thomas Capek,Knickerbocker Press, 1906Thomas Capek, Knickerbocker Press, 1906
Basilea 1584 ,page 342
Tribali Bulgari are Serbian people precisely
Triballi , alijs Bulgari putantur : fed Nicephoro Gregore Servij funt :
quia libro eius 9.cap.15 Michael Bulgariae Rex , a Crale (Rege) Serviorum
from Oxford University Press
A book published in 2014 from historian Clifford R. Backman states that Slavs didn't displace indigenous Croats, Srbs and Macedonians but that the Avars adopted the language that was already spoken on this areas.
In short Clifford R. Backman does not dispute Illyrian herritage of named population but he combines DNA and historical evidence. As Croats, Srbs and Macedonians have indigenous I haploup group in large percentage it is certain that these people are ancient Illyrians and that Scythian tribe of Avars (not Mongolian but white mostly redish haired population arrived from Asia which was entirely Scythian meaning white, blond or redhaired) after Mongolian invasion on Xiongnu Emporium which was Scythian or Amazon in the very early begin. Xiongnu Emporium fell around 400 AD and Avars and Huns moved westwards towards Russia and Europe in those times.
They, Avars would be that R1a component in Southern Slavic gene pool.
It is not impossible that Avars already spoke form of Slavic because Tocharians (Xiongnu neighbours) spoke very similar language to Slavic.
(numbers are identical to slavic also kcer is cker in Tocharian and much more)
Tocharians too were redhaired or blond, there was no Mongolian mummies in Asia this old.