Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2007
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights,
and Labor - March 11, 2008
"Macedonian minority doesn’ egzist in Greece"
(extract )
National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities……..
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A number of citizens identified themselves as Turks, Pomaks (Slavic speaking Muslims), Vlachs, Roma, Arvanites (Orthodox Christians who speak a dialect of Albanian), or Macedonians. While some members of these groups sought to be identified as "minorities," or "linguistic minorities," others did not consider that these identifications made them members of a "minority." The government considers that the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne provides the exclusive definition of minorities in the country and defines the rights they have as a group. In accordance with this view, the government recognizes only a "Muslim minority." It does not officially confer status on any indigenous ethnic groups nor does it recognize "ethnic minority" or "linguistic minority" as legal terms. However, the government affirmed an individual right of self-identification.
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The government did not recognize the Slavic dialect spoken by persons in the northwestern area of the country as "Macedonian," or as a language distinct from Bulgarian. Most speakers of the dialect referred to themselves as "natives." A small number of Slavic speakers insisted on using the term "Macedonian," a designation that generated strong opposition from the ethnic Greek population. These Slavic speakers claimed that the government pursued a policy designed to discourage use of their language. Government officials and the courts denied requests by Slavic groups to identify themselves using the term "Macedonian," because approximately 2.2 million ethnic (and linguistically) Greek citizens already use the term to identify themselves.
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Many individuals who defined themselves as members of a "minority" found it difficult to express their identity freely and maintain their culture.
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( Practicly this is repetition from report 2006 - expect the part:)
In October 2005 the ECHR ordered the government to pay $42,294 (35,245 euros) to the Rainbow Party( political party of macedonian minority in Greece) for violations of two ECHR articles: the right to a fair hearing and the right to freedom of assembly and association; the government paid the fine during the year.
--------------------------------------------------------------comment--------------------------------------------------Such greek behaviour is basically of his request for change ( not only) the name of Republic od
Why
