30.06.08 - 13: 45 Politics and /against sport

The irrational problem which Greese made against the name od Republic of Macedonia is present in Australia ,too.- between macedonian and greek communities.

So, the Australian Football Federation, and local police were ready for the match between Australian Macedonian ("Preston Lions" ) and Australian Greek ("Melbourne Hellas").

Preventive measure were undertaken, which included empty stands and police presence in large numbers, due to clashes between fans 3 years ago.

The Macedonian Club "Preston Lions" won the match 2-1 at "Melbourne Hellas".

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28.06.08 - 14:20 Greek politics ::provocations

Macedonian peacekeepers participating in the EU-led ALTHEA mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) were ordered to remove the state insignia "MKD" which was followed by a very strong reaction from the Macedonian Soldiers in Bosnia who planned to pack up their equipment (Helicopter...) and leave ahead of schedule, only for the EUFOR (ALTHEA) mission to explain they have made a 'mistake'.

Later, the EUFOR mission (governed and funded by EU) told the Macedonian soldiers they don't have to abide by the rules, such as having a different code, they can still use their code.

Once the EU officials in Brussels saw that Skopje was about to withdraw Macedonian peacekeepers in Bosnia, those responsible tried to clarify the situation by saying it was a mistake.

The Greek soldiers stationed in Bosnia not happy with the outcome for their code change, defaced a poster at an Entrance door which was dedicated to the 11 Macedonian soldiers killed in a Helicopter accident few months ago. Greek soldiers had crossed out 'Macedonians' and wrote 'albanians' on it!!!

Unlike the case with Macedonian uniforms in France which ended up with an apology from NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer and inner probe within the Alliance, the latest humiliation against Macedonian soldiers will probably be hushed up.

The Government in Athens is aware they will either loose the name negotiations or Macedonia wont change the name. Governed by this knowledge, Athens is constantly attempting to provoke an armed incident either with Macedonian soldiers stattioned abroad or with Macedonian citizens who visit Greece or do business there.

According last news, Macedonian Prime Minister Gruevski on his scheduled meeting with Nimetz has formally requested international mediation (UN, OSCE, EU) with Greece on properties belonging to forced out Macedonians, as well as cultural and educational choice for the Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia according to international standards.

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7.06.08 - 16:30 US says :Greek accusations -"absurd"

US says accusations of anti-Greek action "absurd"

The U.S. Department of State has dismissed as "absurd and inaccurate" the reports from Athens on alleged anti-Greek action of the US Consul General Hoyt Brian Jee in Thessaloniki.

The statement came after extensive reports from Athens blaming the U.S. consul of actions against territorial integrity of northern Greece by meeting with members of Macedonian and Turkish minority.

The recent news reports from Athens, citing "a classified" document from Greek secret service, blamed the U.S. consul Jee of "serious, undiplomatic and illegal actions against the territorial integrity of northern Greece, bringing political gains with non-existing minorities in Greece".

"Those reports are inaccurate, inappropriate and totally absurd. And I would suggest that anyone making them check their facts because they're wrong," State Department's deputy spokesman Tom Casey told reporters.

"I can state with authority that I am fully confident that both our Embassy in Athens, as well as our Consul is behaving in a fully appropriate manner consistent with the role of diplomats everywhere, which is certainly to talk not only to government officials, but to members of civil society in all forms, including those who might not always agree with the governments of the day," Case said.

He stressed that the reports are completely wrong, making spurious and scandalous accusations against fine members of the U.S. Foreign Service.

The "classified" document, published in Greek media, blows the whistle on actions of the US Consul General in Thessaloniki, who met with leading figures of Rainbow, a political party of Macedonian minority in Greece, and with Muslim minority leaders in Western Thracia and with other Greek citizens.

According to classified document, these meetings were to put in motion an alleged secret plan by the US to destabilize Thracia and northern Greece and ignite a crisis throughout Greece.

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_MAKFAX________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

26.06.08 - 13:35 Greek lie:"Macedonia is one and Greek"

POLITICAL PARTY OF THE MACEDONIAN MINORITY IN GREECE
Member of the European Free Alliance - European Political Party (EFA-EPP)
Member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN)

The Greek irredentism against Republic of Macedonia: "Macedonia is one and Greek"

Florina/Lerin - June 25, 2008

The Greek “Ethnofylaki” or “National Guard” is a military unit, officially and legally integrated into the structures of the Greek Army.

It is a form of state organization, with the task to “protect the state against any form of extraordinary, internal or external, threats”

A few weeks ago the Florina/Lerin Greek National Guard Battalion organized a festive gunfire training for its members and all potentially interested civilians.

In the invitation for the event – public poster which was distributed among the population read:

The last sentence of the invitation, coming from an official entity of the Greek state, constitutes a flagrant and outrageous provocation against a sovereign state, the Republic of Macedonia, whose borders are only 20 kilometres away from the place the event took place.

Furthermore, yet again it is proof of Greece’s hypocrisy, which on the one hand accuses the Republic of Macedonia of irredentism while on the other hand constantly adopts irredentist policies and fosters provocative acts against this country.

We regret to conclude that Greece will never accept the existence of the Macedonian people, inside and outside of its borders, unless it is forced to do so.

EFA-Rainbow reveals the true face of the Greek “democratic” state, its real intentions, and urges all EU institutions to exercise pressure on our country.

Are we to wonder if the slogan "MACEDONIA IS ONE AND GREEK!" promoted by the Greek government and the Greek army will be used to invade the Republic of Macedonia in times of instability in the Balkans?

Greece must once and for all start acting like a true EU member-state and not like an expansionist totalitarian dictatorship of the past.

The Press Office
of EFA-Rainbow
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http://www.florina.org/news/2008/june25_e.asp
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24.06.08 - 20:50 What EUROPE has forgotten?

10.06.08 - 16:15 NATO: France is to blame....

NATO: France is to blame, not just the Greek Officer

NATO conducted an internal investigation over the incident between a Greek and Macedonian officers during NATO's training in France (Steadfast Juncture 2008).

The Greek officer had verbally attacked Macedonians to take out their badge with the flag and name of the country. The Macedonian officers had refused to take it out and upon consultation with the Macedonian Military decided to leave France ahead of schedule.

"The host country, France, and the organizing training cell had not contacted the central NATO Command in Brussels upon receiving a complaint from a member country." says in its letter Jan Hoop De Scheffer sent to Macedonia's Minister of Defense, Lazar Elenovski.

NATO's conclusion is, the host country France committed an error for allowing, and then taking sides with the Greek Officer by asking the Macedonian Officers to change in "civilian clothing", instead of consulting with Brussels as the official rules and protocol suggests.

Jaan De Hoop Scheffer, continues to say that NATO does not have any policy on uniforms, it is strictly up to the nation to choose.

"Your contributions to the Alliance are of great importance, and are much appreciated. I would like to inform you that I will personally make sure this sort of incident does not occur in the future." says Scheffer in his letter.

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http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/1793/1/

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9.06.08 - 22:15 Question to the Committee of Ministers

Written Question No. 547 by Mr Cilevics: "Implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on the right to association for national minorities in Bulgaria"

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In its judgment in the case of UMO Ilinden - PIRIN and others v. Bulgaria (59489/00) of 20 October 2005 (final on 20 January 2006), the European Court of Human Rights found a violation of Article 11 of the Convention in respect of a political party whose stated aims included, inter alia, the recognition of the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria.

In document CM/Inf/DH(2007)8, the Committee of Ministers stated that where the Court has found violations of the right to freedom of association on account of dissolutions, or refusals of registration, of organisations and political parties, the Committee of Ministers has, in application of this principle, seen to it that the respondent state has removed laws or practices incriminated by the Court and offered the applicants the possibility to have their organisation registered anew in proceedings respecting the Convention.

However, following the 2005 judgment, UMO Ilinden - PIRIN has twice, in vain, sought re-registration and continues to remain unregistered.

Given that the diligent and timely execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights is an issue of fundamental importance for the Parliamentary Assembly,
Mr Cilevics,
to ask the Committee of Ministers,
what the Committee of Ministers intends to undertake in order to facilitate execution of the above-mentioned judgment by the authorities of Bulgaria, so as to ensure the effectiveness of the Council of Europe system for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms?

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Source: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1297009
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9.06.08 - 19:30 The European Commission presses the Bulgarian government

Amnesty International:

The European Commission presses the Bulgarian government

The newest report of the Amnesty International mentions the Macedonian Minority's struggle in Bulgaria. The report states that in September, the European Commission called on the Bulgarian government to respect the decisions by the European Court of Human Rights that Bulgaria should allow the registration of the OMO Ilinden PIRIN party, which represents the Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. Both the Supreme Court and the Sofia City Court had denied the party’s application for registration.
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7.o6.08 - 19:40 Greek speciality: provocations

Slovenia's MP slams Greece over Macedonia

The Slovenian representative in the European Parliament, Jelko Kacin, slammed Greece's attitude toward Macedonia and called for adequate response from the European institutions.

Kacin urged EU institutions to protect the basic principles of the inter-state relations and to take measures against Greek "planned policy of escalation and deliberate provocations", "pouring oil on fire" and "poisoning of the political atmosphere in the region."

"The same happened with the President of Macedonia - a country with 'unfortunate name'," Jelko Kacin said.

According to him, the decision of Macedonian President to cancel - on the behalf of his country - his participation at an important international meeting in Athens, is "logical and triggered by Greece's planned policy."

"Evidently, these incidents do not occur randomly. We are witnessing a planned policy of escalation and deliberate provocations on the part of Greece, which pour oil on fire of the already strained relations between the two governments," Kacin added
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http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/1749/1/

6.06.08 - 17:15 Greek campaign against the Macedonian language

EFA Condemns attacks against the Macedonian language in EU institutions


European Free Alliance – European Political Party - Press Release

EFA sends letters of protest to the European Commission, European Parliament and an open-letter to all MEPs from Greece

The European Free Alliance – European Political Party (EFA) is deeply concerned by the latest campaign of Greek MEPs within EU institutions to replace and in some instances eradicate the use of the term “Macedonian” to describe the Macedonian language, Macedonian culture and persons identifying as ethnic Macedonians.

It is well known that the motivation of Greece and its MEPs on this issue is its blatant refusal to recognise Macedonian identity, both in Greece and beyond.

…..

EFA wishes to point out that any attempts by bodies of the European Parliament or by Commission to bow to the absurd demands of the Greek MEPs to rename the Macedonian language are not in conformity with article 6(3) of the Treaty on the European Union which declares that: “The Union shall respect the national identities of its Member States.” The Republic of Macedonia is an official candidate country to join the EU and thus it is logical and appropriate for the institutions (and indeed the Member-States) to act in conformity with the principles and spirit contained in the treaties, in the lead-up to the accession of the aforementioned country to the EU.

Moreover, it is quite absurd and indeed erroneous to call the Macedonian language something which it is not. All serious linguists are in agreement on the use of the term Macedonian to describe it. Moreover and ironically, the strongest piece of evidence for the existence of a language called Macedonian comes not from the academic world, but from the Greek state itself. In the Greek census of 1920, the Macedonian language (not Slav-Macedonian, Slavic language or Slavic idiom) was listed as a language spoken by parts of the population in Greece. Parts of the official census results were published (and therefore recognised) by the Greek state. They can be found in the General Archives of the Greek state and has been republished in a book by M. Houliarakis (Geografiki, dioikitiki kai plithismiaki ekseliksi tis Ellados tom G' page 363).

Given that Greece in 1920 officially referred to the Macedonian language as Macedonian, any attempt by the same state almost a century later to modify or eradicate the name of the language (and people and culture connected to it) must be rejected.

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http://www.florina.org/archive/2008/june04_e.html

5.06.08 - 17:05 ......death penalty for Macedonians in Greece

Greek MP asks for death penalty for Macedonians in Greece

According to Athanassios Plevris, ethnic Macedonians committed a felony when they described "Skopje" as "Macedonia" and the language as "Macedonian". Death penalties were demanded for the members of the "Vinozito" party of the Macedonian minority in Greece, as well as for "Greek Helsinki Watch", by Member of the Greek Parliament, Athanassios Plevris of "The People's Orthodox Rally" ("LAOS") Party. The MP of the ultra-nationalist party Georgios Karatzaferis sent a written request to the Foreign Minister, Dora Bakoyannis and to the Minister of Justice, Sotirios Hadjigakis saying that there is a map of Europe on the VINOZHITO website showing "Skopje" as Macedonia and that "Helsinki Watch", which is financed by the Greek government, talks about the existence of a Macedonian language. "This is absolutely unacceptable" he said as he describes the Macedonian language as "Slavic".
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Panayote Dimitras, chairman of the Greek Helsinki Committee, says that both Ministers are overly hostile towards Vinozito and the Greek Helsinki Committee and are willing to take action against them. This confirms the fact that in Greece it is dangerous to say "Macedonian state", "Macedonian language" and "Macedonian minority".
......

Despite the multiple decrees and judgments the Council of Europe and the UN has exacted against such acts, Greece continues to violate international human rights treaties. The fact that no political party, no medium and no public organization in Greece protested against the actions of both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Justice, is a clear indication that the political system and society that needs to address the rights of the Macedonians, Turks and others in Greece are locked out. This shows that democracy does not work when dealing with the rights of the minorities in Greece, says Dimitras.
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All text: http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/1725/1/

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4.06.08 - 16:10 Ha, "Anglo-Saxon Australians"!?

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CALLED "ANGLO-SAXON AUSTRALIANS"!?


Liberal Party MP for Cowen (WA), the Hon. Luke Simpkins, raised the issue of Australia's official policy toward the name of the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonians in Australia.

Amongst other things, he stated that the current Australian policy on the name of the Republic of Macedonia and the policy toward the Australian citizens of Macedonian descent is offensive and degrading. He, continued by asking fellow Members of Parliament how they would feel if Australia had been referred to in terms such as "Former British Colony of Australia" and "Anglo-Saxon Australians".

He also suggested that in Australia there is no other example of any other community being racially vilified on their name, as there is in the case of the Macedonians and so he implores the Australian Government to follow the example of the other nations, who in their bilateral relations with Macedonia, refer to the country using its Constitutional name,the "Republic of Macedonia", and for the name of the Australian citizens of Macedonian descent to be officially referred to as "Macedonians" as opposed to the current term, based on the 1994 directive, of "Slav-Macedonians".

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When ?

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3.06.08 - 19:55 NATO apologizes to Macedonia

After the verbal attack by an Athens officer at the "Steadfast Junction" NATO training in France, where he requested Macedonian officers to remove their patches (name and flag) NATO's Secretary General this morning sent a letter of apology to Macedonia's Officers insulted in the incident, the Defense Minister, as well as the Central Command Center.

This is after Macedonia's Defense Minister sent a letter of protest to NATO's General Secretary.
Meanwhile, NATO will have an internal investigation on the incident.
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1.06.08 - 11:15 After greek escape

US: Policy on Macedonia recognition is long standing

There is no change in the longstanding U.S. policy to recognize the Republic of Macedonia by its constitutional name, State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey told the press conference on Thursday.

A reporter asked Casey why the U.S. decided to put a nameplate Macedonia in front of Macedonian delegation to a US-hosted nonproliferation conference in Washington.

The use of Macedonian name triggered stern reactions by Greek and Cypriot delegations, which left the conference in protest.

"First of all, longstanding United States policy as enunciated by Secretary – then Secretary of State Powell - is to recognize the Republic of Macedonia by its constitutional name. So I don’t think it’s any surprise to anyone, including our friends in Greece and Cyprus, that that is the name under which the U.S. Government recognizes Macedonia and that that is the way that they are generally referred to in all U.S. Government-led meetings and activities," Casey said.

"We very much respect and understand that there is a significant disagreement between Greece and Macedonia over the name issue, and we have been strong advocates before, during and after the NATO summit in terms of trying to support Ambassador Nimetz and his efforts to reach a mutually agreeable conclusion to this issue. And that continues to be where we are," Casey said.

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http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/1628/1/