31.10.08 - 22:50 That is begining : NaciElada - NATO deafmute

Skopje, October 31 (MIA) - The Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has every legitimate right to choose how it will express its protest related to the outburst of anti-Macedonian hysteria at the military parade in Thessaloniki, Ministry officials said Friday in their reaction in connection to Thursday's statement given by Head of Greece's Liaison Office to Skopje, Alexandra Papadopoulou.

- The Greek arguments stated by the head of Greece's Liaison Office in Skopje, Papadopoulou we unfortunately had the chance to hear them at the military march held a few days ago, from the mouths of Greek army members. We're prepared and adamant to inform all relevant international organisations and institutions about the case and to submit a footage from the military parade, MoFA stated.

The footage, which is being technically processed, with English language subtitle will be sent to representatives of NATO, EU, OSCE, CoE, UN... in the course of next week.

Commenting the condemnation regarding the outburst of nationalism and chauvinism directed against Macedonia at a military parade in Thessaloniki on Oct. 28 expressed by deputy foreign minister Zoran Petrov, the Head of Greece's Liaison Office Papadopoulou told ANA-MPA agency she realised from Petrov's statements that "the Government does not want or does not dare to listen to the Greek positions and arguments."



Image “Nationalistic and at times fascists chants from the Greek military at the parade in Salonika is not surprising.

What is surprising is the passive non-responsive ways of the EU and NATO who refuse to issue any comment, four days after the scandal” say experts who described Greece as a mentally challenged child under the wings of EU and NATO able to say or do anything without being reprimanded.

“We expect, if there is such a thing as a system of values that unite this nations, that system to be equal for everyone, instead of hiding behind some fake solidarity, because Macedonia is at the door of the Alliance”, says Biljana Vankovska, University Professor.

The chants at the military parade in Salonika were demonstration of force and pressure on Macedonia, say the experts.

“This is a verbal pressure on Macedonia, with very dangerous tendencies, I’d say military threats aimed at Macedonia and the supporters of Macedonia.” Says Blagoja Markovski, expert on security questions.

NATO has no comment on the incident, the statement came from Brussels without an explanation. No comment from the EU. OESC will first wait for the video, and may come up with a statement.

“No question Greece behaves like a mentally challenged child who neither knows what it does nor pays attention to the surroundings. EU and NATO are Greece’s parents in this case who after each bizarre behavior by their child, feel sorry for it, are embarrassed, but have no comments in order to protect it, instead of helping it.” says Dejan Markovski, expert on Foreign Relations.
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30.10.08 - 22:30 The charges for seven Macedonians

Seven Macedonians prosecuted for the events at Lofi/Zabrdeny



Eurolang Belgrade, Tuesday, 28 October 2008 by Georgios N. Papadakis

The public prosecutor of Florina/Lerin has pressed charges against seven individuals who participated in the recent events at the village of Lofi/Zabrdeny in Northern Greece.

Among them were the four initially arrested on the scene of the unrest while the other three are also inhabitants of the village.

According to the public prosecutor, the accused obstructed public transport when they blocked tanks and other armoured vehicles of the Greek Army, initiated riots among the local population, and resisted violently when policemen tried to reopen the passage leading to an army exercise field in the vicinity of their homes. No date has been set yet for the trial, but its is likely that it will take place next year.

Protests in Lofi/Zabrdeny against the army exercises caught the public eye not only in Greece but also in the neighbouring Republic of Macedonia and internationally. The issue caused a public debate inside the Greek Parliament while Macedonian minority party EFA-Rainbow directly accused the Greek authorities of policies of discrimination.

The detention of four Macedonian journalists who were covering the events also led to protests by the Macedonian Government, the International Federation of Journalists and the International Press Institute-South East Europe Media Organization. In addition, IFJ and IPI-SEEMO urged the Greek authorities to explain why the journalists were obstructed from performing their duties and eventually forced to leave Greece. No answer to these complaints has been given so far by Greek officials.
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30.10.08 - 00:16 Greek military and political parade: militrism and irredentism

Greek Army chants Anti-Macedonian slogans on their paradeс


ImageSlogans such as "Macedonia is Greek", "Greek blood flows through Macedonians' veins" and "We won't give the name Macedonia to Skopje" were chanted by Greek commandos at yesterday's parade organised in Solun on Greece's national holiday October 28, writes Ethnos daily on Wednesday.


The chanting, comments the newspaper, prompted an awkward situation in the official box where defense ministers of seven southeastern European countries were seated in addition to Greek President Karolos Papoulias and Government members.

Kathimerini newspaper says that Greek Defense Minister Evangelos Meimarakis, on occasion of the holiday, has sent invitations for the parade to all his Balkan counterparts, including the Macedonian one, but "Skopje rejected the invitation."

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24.10.08 - 19:40 Greek constant: lies,lies.........


The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo did not shift its position regarding the use of Macedonia's name and it will still call the country by its constitutional name.

This is the note sent Thursday by the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Congo's authorities confirm that their position on Macedonia's name remains unchanged, in line with the Communiqué on establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries, signed in September 1999.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki wrote a letter to the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi, in which he expressed gratitude to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on using the constitutional name of Macedonia alongside 126 countries across the world.

It's not clear what is the Greek Government gaining from manipulating its population. Greek Media boasted on the "success" of Athens even though it knew they are misinforming the public. Of course, Panama, Mexico and now DR. Congo will disappear from the Greek media, until the next propaganda appears.

It has become more than obvious that 'news' coming out of Athens should not be taken seriously.

Hats off to the Macedonian Government who insisted they were not notified by DR Congo on the change of their stance and believed the African country will not change its stance. Right they were.


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Greek republic Lie & Deny
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24.10.08 - Greece is not Macedonia's godfather




Greece has no right to impose name to Macedonia, Bulgaria's former president and current chairman of Balkan Political Club Zhelyu Zhelev said.

In an interview to Radio Deutsche Welle's Bulgarian news, Zhelev stressed that the name and the identity of a nation and a state constitute an existentioanal issue and a sovereign right to individual choice.

"When it comes to existentional and political problems of a nation and a state, another country cannot dictate how the country should call itself. I've told Greeks many times - you simply don't know what you want. On what grounds you deprive the Republic of Macedonia from its right to call itself Republic of Macedonia? The country existed within the old Yugoslav federation nearly half a century with the same name," Zhelev said.

"Furthermore, the provisional name is inadequate. All republics that acquired independence after the break-up of the Yugoslav federation are former Yugoslav republics. Why Greece won't call Croatia a Former Yugoslav Republic of Croatia, then Former Yugoslav Republic of Slovenia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Serbia...? How come ostracism is applied to Macedonia only?" Zhelev said.
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23.10.08 - 23:40 India: Republic of Macedonia

One of the most influential Asian states, the Republic of India, starting this month uses the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia in bilateral communication between the two countries.

Indian Government on Oct. 6 informed Macedonian Foreign Ministry that newly opened Macedonian Embassy in New Delhi has been registered in state diplomatic protocol of this country under its constitutional name and not under the reference the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Despite of severe oppose and strong pressures by the Greek officials in an attempt to prevent this decision by the India's authorities, Macedonia with enormous diplomatic efforts, succeeded Macedonian Embassy to be registered under the constitutional name, Macedonian Foreign Ministry told MIA.

India and Macedonia established diplomatic relations in Feb. 1996 under the provisional reference the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Macedonian Government in Jan. 2008 adopted a decision for opening an embassy in New Delhi aimed at intensifying the political and economic cooperation with India.

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20.10.08 - 19:50 Greek Crackdown on Macedonian Journalists Draws International Condemnation

10/15/2008 (Balkanalysis.com)

By Christopher Deliso

The tense ordeal of four Macedonian journalists detained by police in a northern Greek village on Monday is gaining wider attention, and has caused an international outcry against the perceived heavy-handedness of Greek authorities- and what their apparent contempt for the free press may be covering for.

For their part, the Greeks are claiming that the Macedonian government is trying to stir up trouble; Greek Foreign Ministry Spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos accused Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of engaging in “a provocative effort to blatantly distort the truth,” reported Kathimerini. By daring to speak out against the crackdown, the Macedonian leader is, according to Koumoutsakos, making “a new, unacceptable attempt to intervene in Greek domestic affairs.”

However, the Greek version of ‘the truth,’ which states that the journalists were somehow blocking military movements, and in the end left Greece of their own free will, is wildly at variance with what the journalists themselves experienced, as we will see below. It also ignores what local witnesses claim is a recent legacy of violence against civilians, and broken promises by the army in this normally quiet border region.

The journalists, from A1 Television and the Nova Makedonija newspaper, were detained by police near the Florina-area village of Lofi (Za’brdeni in Macedonian) and interrogated, after they had sought to interview ethnically Macedonian villagers involved with protests against a Greek Army military operation in the region (a newspaper report cites the villagers as being opposed to the operation because “the army’s use of live ammunition interferes with their farming.”

The journalists, who were consistently barked at in Greek by police despite not knowing the language particularly well, were threatened with having their equipment confiscated and ordered to leave the country. It is uncertain as to whether they will ever be allowed to return.

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18.10.08 - 23:25 Greek games

Macedonia was not formally notified about the shift in Mexico’s position regarding the use of Macedonia’s constitutional name, as Greece claimed on Friday.

Macedonian Foreign Ministry spokesman Petar Culev told Makfax news agency that Macedonia would require a formal reply by Mexico over the use of Macedonia’s constitutional name.

Greek FM claimed on its web site that Mexico’s Foreign Ministry Undersecretary 'briefed' his Greek counterpart Yannis Valinakis that “pending settlement of differences regarding the name of the country, Mexico will provisionally call the country fyrom.”

In July this year, Greek authorities 'officially' announced that Panama changed its position regarding the recognition of Macedonia’s constitutional name, but Macedonian as well as Panama authorities denied the information.


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Image Greece once again caught in own web of lies. Last night Mexico sent a thank you to the Macedonian UN Delegation thanking it for the support of Mexico becoming a member of the UN Security Council.

In its letter Mexico used "Macedonia" contrary to the information spread in Greece by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is a second time after Panama, Greece is caught in its own web of lies.

Macedonian diplomats aren't very concerned with what kind of information is being placed or comes out of Greece. "Even if Mexico changes their mind, which they didn't, Greece will need 124 years to change the mind of the rest of the countries" says a diplomat in Skopje.

Meanwhile Pavle Voskopulos of Vinozito, has called the Greek Government Spokesman a 'Liar' for constantly misinforming the public in relation not just to Macedonia, but in general. "I don't remember when was last time he said something that was truthful. In regards to the Macedonian journalists being detained, Kumucakos said they were filming military buildings. This is a scandal because there are no buildings there, let alone military. His lies were an excuse to terrorize the Macedonian journalists." says Voskopulos.

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also read :

IFJ Calls on Greek Government to Clarify Action against Journalists

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17.10.08 - 23:45 Support for Macedonian political refugees from Greece





Council of Europe Upon the initiative of the European Free Alliance – Rainbow, a Motion for a Resolution on “Discriminatory laws against ethnic Macedonian political refugees” has been tabled at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The Motion, supported by representatives from 13 different European countries, spanning all major political groups, “strongly urges the Greek Government, without delay, to review the above-mentioned laws and end the discrimination resulting from them so that ethnic Macedonian political refugees from Greece can reclaim their Greek citizenship and property” and recommends that the relevant PACE committee “investigate this matter and engage with the Greek authorities with a view to ending the aforementioned discrimination.”

EFA-Rainbow wishes to thank Mr Geert Lambert of Belgium (the first signatory) for his continual support on Macedonian human rights issues. Mr Lambert is a member of the Flemish political party “Vlaams Progressiven”. Both EFA-Rainbow and Vlaams Progressiven are members of the European Free Alliance – European Political Party, which together with the Greens make up the fifth largest group in the European Parliament.

EFA-Rainbow also extends its gratitude to all signatories including the numerous ones from Turkey and the Republic of Macedonia.

The Motion, officially tabled during the recent Part-Session of PACE, was officially put onto the website of the Council of Europe earlier this week. The matter will now be discussed by the Bureau of the Assembly in late November 2008. EFA-Rainbow trusts that the Bureau will look at the Motion seriously and act in the best interests of the Macedonian political refugees from Greece.

EFA-Rainbow also calls upon the various bodies of the Council of Europe to continue to monitor the situation in Greece to ensure that the human rights of the ethnic Macedonian minority are being respected.

The full text of the Motion :

http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc08/EDOC11754.htm
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16/10.08 - 16:50 There is some putrefaction in EU


"It is very important to break away from the name blockade and see Macedonia in NATO" says German MEP Angelika Beer.

"When I first heard of Nimetz's proposal, I was stunned. I thought this is just byrocracy, this is impossible. Why would Macedonia have a name "Northern Macedonia"? Northern Macedonia implies there must be Southern Macedonia, and the two will eventually be united. It is practically the same case as Cyprus." says Angelika Beer.

"Macedonia can make deals under the constitutional name, so the name is sort of, a compromise. Never the less, the Macedonian Government and people via referendum will decide for any proposal they would see fitting" concluded Beer.


IPI/SEEMO expresses its concern at the detainment of journalists in Greece

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed at recent restrictions on reporters' ability to freely carry out their work in Greece.

According to information before SEEMO, four journalists from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Republic of Macedonia, Goran Momiroski of A1 TV, Meri Jordanovska of Nova Makedonija newspaper, and two other crew members of A1 TV, were arrested in the afternoon of 13 October 2008 by Greek authorities.

The journalists had intended to cover a protest against a disputed army training site and gunfire exercises by the Greek Army in the village of Lofi, near the Greek-Macedonian border.

Despite carrying valid press cards and visas for Greece, the media representatives were detained because they did not have a special filming license and requested to hand over the material they had gathered at the demonstration.

After their release, a police escort strongly advised them not to talk to eye witnesses of the protest and eventually escorted them to the border.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic voiced his concern over this clear infringement of the free movement and freedom of expression of journalists and hoped the Greek authorities will adopt strong measures against such interference with media efforts to report on a story of public interest.

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14.10.08 - 16:55 Greek war scenes in Lofi/Zabrdeny


http://www.florina.org/news/2008/october14_e.asp

War scenes Only a week ago, EFA-Rainbow expressed hope that the “irresponsible-responsible” people who decided the heavy artillery gunfire exercises at the field beside the Macedonian village of Lofi/Zabrdeny took the message from the wide reaction against it of the local population.
We believed they understood, also because they’ve also promised that no heavy artillery shots would be performed, during the 10 days the army exercise was supposed to last.

Unfortunately, seems that some people will never come to their senses. In an unprecedented demonstration of slyness and audacity (and of course, without the slightest warning, in order to catch the inhabitants “off-guard”), tanks made a snap move inside Lofi/Zabrdeny, in an obvious attempt to make the exercise shots they could not perform one week ago. Numerous special police units came along also, to implement the “law of the stronger” with “Far-West” methods.

Despite all that, inhabitants not only from Lofi/Zabrdeny but also from Vevi/Banica, Kelli/Gornichevo and Meliti/Ovcaharany stood in front of the army and police forces to obstruct the exercise. Immediately afterwards, the “brave” police forces, using methods resembling the 7-year long dictatorship (1967-1974), started to attack the gathered people. They broke arms and legs, violently dragged women and children from the street (!), handcuffed and arrested 4 of the locals (including the president of the Lofi/Zabrdeny municipal council) as if they were the worst criminals and took them to jail.

This outrageous police attack did not intimidate the local population. OIn the contrary, hundredths more gathered and stayed all night in front of the exercise field, demanding the unconditional release of the arrested. Eventually, this happened in the early morning hours with no charges pressed against the Macedonians, who were simply defending the village’s PRIVATE roads which lead to their PRIVATE property.

We would directly like to ask the Greek political, army and police authorities:
• In which other part of the Greek territory, raw violence was selectively used to suppress a peaceful demonstration of local population who wanted the closure of an army exercise field? How is it possible that in Greece of 2008 we have 2nd class citizens? Is it because of their beliefs and the language they speak?
• Under what kind of rationale, tanks come out of nowhere in an inhabited place, taking the population by surprise, as if we were in a war situation? Who is the “enemy” at last?
• When is the will of the people living in these Macedonian villages, to permanently stop the operation of the army exercise field, going to be respected? Why they receive mockery and violence instead?
• In which member State of the EU such shameless acts take place? When is Greece’s continuous international decrial going to stop?

Enough is enough! If, after all these incidents, the army exercise field will not IMMEDIATELY and permanently suspend its operation, the Greek authorities bare sole responsibility for anything that will happen in the future.


The Press Office
of EFA-Rainbow

-----------------------------------------------------------also read

+ Macedonian Government deeply concerned about events in Greece

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14.10.08 - 16:50 Greek army - occupier


http://www.florina.org/news/2008/october14b_e.asp

Eurolang Belgrade, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 by Georgios N. Papadakis

Injuries, arrests and clashes between Macedonian minority inhabitants, the Greek army, and special police units, are continuing since yesterday afternoon in the village of Lofi/Zabrdeny in Northern Greece, next to the border with the Republic of Macedonia.

It all started when Greek army tanks and other armoured vehicles tried to move through the Macedonian village and reach an army taring site to practice heavy artillery fire. The inhabitants of Lofi/Zabrdeny, aided by people from the nearby villages of Meliti/Ovcharany, Vevi/Banica and Kelli/Gornichevo, blocked the road leading to the training site, demanding that no heavy artillery fire would take place and that the armed forces withdrew from the village. Instead, special police units arrived and tried by force to clear the road, arresting four people. Among them the President of the local Lofi/Zabrdeny municipal council, Kole Mitskopoulos.

Over the following hours more than 300 people from all the neighbouring villages came to the spot and demanded the immediate release of the arrested and the withdrawal of tanks and special police forces. Early this morning the four were released without charges and the inhabitants were promised that no heavy artillery practice would be performed.

“We were taken completely by surprise. Last week the army was also here but after the instant reaction of the people in Zabrdeny, they left promising that no tanks will show up. But they came to perform heavy artillery fire above our heads. We cannot allow this to happen, this is a severe health hazard, nobody knows what these missiles contain. Similar protests for the removal of army training sites happen all over Greece, but only here did we have this brutal intervention of the police. This is like a revival of the military dictatorship.” Said Kosta Tasevski, a Lofi/Zabrdeny inhabitant, to Eurolang.

The disputed army training site lies practically on the outskirts of Lofi/Zabrdeny, very close to houses and in the middle of private arable land. During army exercises over recent years, missiles have, accidentally, nearly hit the village while locals are not allowed for days to go to their properties. They are demanding the closure of the training site and the army has in the past promised that there would be no artillery fire.

The issue is set to be taken to the international level. Last week the Macedonian Prime Minister voiced concerns about the situation of the Macedonian minority in the region and urged Greece to withdraw its forces from the training site, situated next to the Greek-Macedonian border.

According to unofficial sources, the Macedonian government will send a protest note to Athens and Brussels later today. (Eurolang 2008)

--------------------------------------------also read

+ Macedonian Government deeply concerned about events in Greece

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13.10.08 - 20:15 The Greek army and police against MACEDONIANS!!!!!!



Greek army clashes with local ethnic Macedonian population in village near Lerin

One Macedonian has minor injuries and four have been arrested, after incidents which took place this afternoon in the area surrounding Lerin (Florina). Ten days ago, after the requests from the local population, the Greek army withdrew from its training camp near the village of 'Zabrdeni'. Today, the Greek army returned to the region.

This time, the Greek army came with a strong police presence as well as tanks and other large automotive machines.

The Greek police specialists intervened when the local ethnic Macedonian population tried to stop the Greek army from setting up camp and heavy-military training right next to their village.

"They were arresting people and sending them to jail. They have four so far and by nightfall, they will surely arrest more", said a Macedonian from the Lerin region.

One man, an ethnic Macedonian, has been injured during the pushing and shoving, whilst four (4) ethnic Macedonians were arrested.

It is expected that trumped-up charges will be laid against them as early as this evening, for alleged assault on uniformed officers. According to Greek laws, one may face a few years in prison for such offences.

Macedonians from a few villages surrounding Lerin including Zabrdeni and Ovcharani are still in position blocking the path to the new training camp of the Greek army.

"We are sitting and lying down in front of the tanks, the people do not want the army to conduct its training with all this heavy weaponry. There are some 150-200 policemen here and those numbers will be strengthened, they will bring in the specialists. The village is Macedonian, it is called Zabrdeni", announced an ethnic Macedonian from the village.

After the last incidents which took place ten days ago, local leaders made an agreement with the army that in its actions in the region, it would not destroy the crop-growing fields, it would not use heavy vehicles and it would not use live ammunition for target practice, near the populated areas.

However, without any prior announcement, the Greek Government sent a new contingent of soldiers reinforced with police, who today created an incident in the Lerin (Florina) region. Local Members of Parliament were not informed of these activities by the Greek army, despite their parliamentary requests last week for the army not to disturb the peace of the local population in this region.

In stark contrast to the actions of the Greek army who withdrew without any problems, because of protests in the Peloponnese and other places, this time in Aegean Macedonia, the Greek Government has come with a different tactic.
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Greek police officer Regarding the army gunfire exercise in a Macedonian village "Lofi" (Zabrdeny), Florina - Lerinsko, North Greece

October 6, 2008
Press Release

"I don't care what you do, I'm not from here, I'm from far away … Good that you die of cancer (!).
Since you live on the border, you must tolerate both the army and its gushot exercises. If you don't want to, then take your village beyond the Greek border!"
The above statement was made by a Greek police officer during the demonstration of the people of Lofi/Zabrdeny who demanded the permanent closure of the army exercise field in the village due to health and security reasons.

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11.10.08 - 13:20 End the Greek Tragedy

End the Greek Tragedy


The endless bickering over Macedonia’s name merely distracts from a far greater need.

SKOPJE | Josip Broz Tito calendars hang on office walls, memorabilia of the old Yugoslav leader clutter plywood shelves of Skopje’s bazaars, and on one of the capital’s busiest streets, the Broz Cafe is bustling on a warm October afternoon. The fading letters of the marshal’s “unity and brotherhood” speech that mark the international outpouring of help after the 1963 Skopje earthquake fill one crumbling wall of the former railway station – now the site of a museum and Tito memorabilia shop.

If there is Tito nostalgia in Macedonia, it may be more than fondness for an era when there were jobs and the Balkans were unified (never mind the political repression). “He respected our identity,” said one aging Skopje shopkeeper selling replicas of wartime memorabilia of the anti-Nazi partisan movement that Tito led. “He would never allow this shame to go on.”

Playtime's over, boys.


That “shame” is Greece’s opposition to Macedonia’s name. In one of the most intractable disputes resulting from the implosion of Yugoslavia, the Greeks insist that their tiny neighbor rebrand itself, fearing that “Republic of Macedonia” implies territorial ambitions on its northern region of Macedonia.



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9.10.08 - 23:25 Macedonian ambassador :LETTER TO EDITOR

LETTER TO EDITOR: Macedonia, NATO, Greece



Sens. Olympia Snowe and Robert Menendez raise a critical issue in resolving the vexing name dispute between Macedonia and Greece in "Macedonian Quandary"(Commentary, Sept. 24).

Greece claims that "Macedonia" can only refer to a province in Greece and any use by any other country of that name is a direct attack on Greek sovereignty and an attempt to partition Greece. It's a bizarre claim, considering that Macedonia has only a police force along the common border and Greece is a NATO member.

The court of public opinion understands that there are two sides to every story - especially when it comes to the name Macedonia. Macedonians gained their independence following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991.

Our small country of 2 million people borders Greece. After nearly falling victim to the ethnic divisions and wars that ravaged the Balkan region, Macedonians set about charting a course for Western integration. Over the course of just six years, we broke down political barriers and devolved government power, overhauled the judiciary and cracked down on corruption. Our country has emerged as an ethnic melting pot dedicated to building a democratic system based on the rule of law, freedom of speech, religious tolerance and human rights.

A modernized Macedonian military has deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. U.N. forces are using Macedonia as headquarters to keep peace in Kosovo. Clearly, we are a country that understands the underpinnings of NATO: shared democratic values.

In Macedonia, these are not just words; they are practices put into action. NATO has decided that Macedonia has earned entry into the alliance, but in April at the Bucharest Summit, one country objected - and that was Greece.

It objected not because of any shortcoming in Macedonia's exhaustive economic, political and military reform checklist but because of the name of our country. In doing so, Greece violated the interim accord it signed with Macedonia in 1995, which prohibits blocking Macedonia from any international institutions while the name issue is being resolved.

We cannot afford to let a debate that stretches back 2,000 years get in the way of the safety and security of Europe and the United States, and Macedonia remains determined and committed to resolving the name dispute with Greece.

NATO's December meeting presents an opportunity to extend an invitation to a country that will contribute to broadening NATO's sphere of security and democracy. Disagreements over a name should have no bearing on keeping Macedonia out.

ZORAN JOLEVSKI

Ambassador

Republic of Macedonia

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7.10.08 - 20:10 George Bush and camrades Marx, Engels, Lenin


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5.10.08 - 13:30 Greek-Bulgarian alliance against Macedonians


Representatives of the Macedonian political parties in Bulgaria and Greece were present at OSCE’s annual meeting dedicated to European minorities and human rights held in Warsaw, Poland.

Members of OMO Ilinden - Pirin, Macedonian party in Bulgaria issued a statement of unseen psychological torture.

- After our latest attempt to register the party, Bulgarian authorities started a systematic campaign of insulting and scaring our members. All 5,800 political members, I repeat, all 5,800 members were officially summoned by the Bulgarian police! - said representative of OMO Ilinden - Pirin at the meeting which encompassed more than 1,000 Governmental and non governmental organizations (NGO’s).

- Ladies and Gentlemen, this is psychological torture. Out of 300 political parties in Bulgaria, only our party and members are mistreated. Bulgaria is still defying an order from the Strasbourg Court to register our party - said representative from Omo Ilinden.

According to the Party, the police investigation was not to find irregularities within the party, rather to scare and threaten members to give up their membership in OMO Ilinden - Pirin.

The Macedonians in Greece were represented by their political party Vinozito, who said that Greece in line with their nationalist ideology refuse to recognize Macedonian identity and language. Greece, says Vinozito, has not ratified the Convention for protection of minorities saying it is a “useful tool for breaking up the Soviet Union and bringing down the Milosevic regime.”

“Vinozito” informs that Greece has refused to register a Macedonian Cultural Center in Lerin, which is a non profit organization.
- Almost two decades have passed, since 1989. The Berlin wall went down, but the walls of twisted views and injustices towards Macedonians in Greece still thrive - said representative of “Vinozito”.

The Macedonians in Greece have encouraged the Government to include “Macedonian” on their scheduled census for 2011. “Vinozito” informed of Greek Professor and Human Rights Activist Panayote Dimitris who is under constant pressure by the Police.

During the session, “Vinozito” presented a document recently published in Eleftherotypia of a meeting that took place between the Greek Secret Service and Editors of major Greek Newspapers who received instructions on what they need to write regarding Greece’s minorities.
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3.10.08 - 23:20 Greek trump against "unexzisting macedonian minority" - frightening


Thirty Macedonians from Ovcarani, Aegean Macedonia (Greece), for two days protested in front of a Greek military training field near the village of Zabrdeni, asking for the Greek Army to retrieve from their region, inform local citizens.

Greek soldiers who slept in tents under the open sky were woken up late at night from the sounds of church bells from the surrounding villages who all rang at the same time.

Ethnic Macedonians in Greece are fed up with the Greek Army intimidation tactics to show up with tanks surrounding their villages, under the auspices of ‘training’. Local resident who wished to remain anonymous explained to MINA that the Greek Army always chooses to show their might in cities and villages where ethnic Macedonians are the majority.

-They come here, surround our villages with tanks and stay here for weeks, sometimes months. They think we will get scared. Why don’t they do their training in Athens? - says an ethnic Macedonian from Ovcarani who also complained of the pollution the tanks caused to his crops.

Two nights ago, local villagers set up a four car road blockade to prevent the Greek Army convoy from reaching their training destination. A tractor was also added to the blockade, after which the Greek police and a public prosecutor arrived at the place of the incident.

Negotiations between the police and the demonstrators went until midnight, after which the Macedonians left.
Yesterday demonstrators gathered again to protest the presence of the Greek Army and their intimidation tactics who according to local residents never work.

Three elite units of the Greek MoI were sent to prevent the Macedonians from entering the training ground.

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The Cabinet of the Macedonian Government has issued a statement on the protests of the Macedonians in Northern Greece in relation to activities of the Greek Army. "We are very worried about the protests and are hopeful Greece will take into considerations the reactions of citizens in that particular part of Greece. We hope the training of the Greek Army is not a demonstration of force." says in the statement.

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also read:German MEP: Greece's position is unacceptable

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1.10.08 - 22:20 Wall street - fijuuuuuuuuuu......











song: America and England will be countries proleterian.......
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