Press Release of the Macedonian Studies Center and the Pan-Macedonian Association of USA & Canada
Author: Christos Karatzios M.D.
Communication: Nina Gatzoulis: ninagatz@comcast.net
New York-March 26, 2009
RE: Blatant propaganda on Greek TV
Encouraging message by P. Voskopoulos for “Macedonian” minority action in Greece
“Do not fear! Lift your heads high, we can do this very well!”, is the message that the representative of the so-called “Macedonian” minority, Pavlos Voskopoulos, promoted in a sly manner to the inconspicuous participants of the televised program “Atheatos Kosmos”, on March 10, 2009 on the Greek television station ALTER. During the program representatives of the political party “Rainbow”, Greek politicians, historians, and journalists discussed the recent United Nations report by Ms. Gay McDougall, on the “minority” issue in Greece.
In particular, towards the end of the broadcast, Mr. Voskopoulos, openly addressing the supposedly oppressed “Macedonian minority”, which he calls “Makedonski”, said: “Dosta veќe da se plašete, gorno glavata, možno e, mnogu dobro.” When asked to translate into Greek what he had said, he replied falsely: “this is a matter of pride for us.” Mr. Voskopoulos virtually called for an uprising by members of his political faction in Greece.
We welcome the initiative of ALTER channel to address the critical Macedonian issue. However, expressing the historical concerns of the Diaspora, the Macedonian Studies Center and the Pan-Macedonian Associations of U.S. and Canada, we wish to inform the Greek public about certain inaccuracies during the broadcast.
First, the amiable journalist Mr. Hardavelas, referred to Nicodemus Tsarknias of the sectarian and self-called “Macedonian” Church in Aridaia, Greece saying that the building is incomplete, “as if no one wants to see it.” This statement was unfortunate. The Tsarknias church building was not built back then because it lacked sufficient funds for its completion (and virtually no support from the alleged minority that it was allegedly serving!). Mr. Tsarknias is the one who sent an inflammatory letter to the legitimate Bishops of Kastoria, Florina and Thessaloniki, demanding the keys to their churches, because he believes Greece has occupied “Macedonia” since 1912! During the program it was said that people who make frequent visits are from the FYROM and its Diaspora (Toronto and Australia). Where are the “ethnic Macedonians” from Greece? Unfortunately there was no mention about it during the broadcast.
The “deported Aegean Macedonians” declared to the young journalists, who were sent to FYROM to interview them that they have been grouped into an organization that lists 50,000 people! What kind of organization has 50,000 as members and why is this organization not known throughout the world? The repeated question of the journalists: “Do you feel Greek?” prompted them to declare: “No, I am Macedonian”. Then, they claimed that their ancestors were the owners of properties that were left behind when they fled Greece. They proclaim that the Greek government does not permit them entry to Greece after the Greek Civil War.
During the broadcast a member of the Greek Communist Party (KKE) during the 1940s and then a NOF fighter, who took arms against the Greek government during the Greek Civil War, made certain statements. She concluded that the Greek authorities did not allow her to return to Greece! Her statement was interesting in that her only wish is “to come back in Greece,” in order to see the grave of her mother. A few seconds later, negating her own words, she said that she has already visited Edessa and Florina!
The vast majority of NOF “fighters” initially took weapons against Greece and served Bulgarian interests, under the command of Axis Bulgarian army officers, such as Anton Kaltseff. In the summer of 1944, when the Germans were preparing to retreat from Greece, they were transformed from Bulgarians to “Macedonians”, enlisted in SNOF (Slavomacedonian EAM, or Slavomacedonian National Liberation Front), and fought along side ELAS (Greek People’s Liberation Army) hoping to avoid punishment for their treason against Greece during the Axis occupation of Nazi Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria. In October 1944, after they broke away from ELAS, they left Greek territory and went to Yugoslavia, where they joined Tito’s partisans, bearing the name “The Aegean Shock Brigade.” In the summer of 1946 they returned to the mountains of Greece as NOF (Slavomacedonian National Liberation Front) to fight alongside the communist “Democratic Army of Greece” (DSE), and to exploit Greek divisions during the Greek Civil War. In the summer of 1949, some before and others after the final defeat of the DSE again left Greek territory and eventually settled in Skopje and adopted Slavic names. Many among them including the leaders of the KKE (Communist Party of Greece) returned to Greece. Others did not return, or chose to return only on condition that Greece will accept their changed names, recognizing them as “Macedonians.” Still others did not return, or chose to return only on condition that Greece will recognize them as “fighters of the “Macedonian” Iliden Revolution”.
We should all know about the 28,000 Greek children who were sent to Iron Curtain countries by the communists for “education”, the majority of whom are now middle aged and have been taught that they were expelled. Also, we must have in mind the numerous UN resolutions calling for the return of these children from the Communist countries, especially from former Yugoslavia (UN Resolutions 382 (1950), 517 (1952) and 618 (1952)).
Furthermore, in another interview with a representative of the “ethnic Macedonian minority” from the village of Meliti, Greece there was again an unfortunate mention that “the only wish all these people have is to find work” and one father even claimed that he is “forced” to take care of his adult children (one of his children is 31 years old) because they can not find work in Greece, simply because they are “Macedonian”! In an era where many immigrants (legal and illegal) can find jobs and make a living in Greece, this claim is ludicrous.
It is crucial that Greek TV invites historians and politicians who are knowledgeable in this issue, so that they can rebut the historical inaccuracies, distortions and propaganda. It is also important that individuals who know the language spoken in the FYROM, and the Slavonic idiom used in some Greek border areas (the two are different), be present during such broadcasts, so that Greek television does not promote messages against our national interests.
We also understand the progressive and humanitarian ideas of some of the guests. In addition, we, the Macedonians of the Diaspora, want friendly relations with Greece’s neighbour and wish for an equitable solution to the issue. However, friendship and progressiveness cannot be promoted by ignorance and misrepresentation of historical facts, especially at a time when negotiations for the name of Greece’s northern neighbour are ongoing. This is especially true when intolerant and irredentist behaviour of the FYROM against Greece is ever escalating.
Akritas, You talk of FIROM propaganda, but totally fail to see your blatant propaganda. Not once in your article do you mention the actual name of the country to the north of Greece, referring to it as FIROM instead. No country in the world is called FIROM. Also people themselves choose who they are, not their enemies. Your job is to recognize and accept that, not to play godfather. Macedonians have no problem with their name, so they have nothing to negotiate. Greece has a problem with Macedonia and Macedonians so let Greece solve its problem. Macedonians do not prevent anyone from calling themselves Macedonian, but Greeks and Greece want to prevent me from being a Macedonian. Furthermore, people like yourself self identify as Greek Macedonians, not as Macedonians, so where is the confusion? I and people like me are Macedonians and you and people like you are Greek Macedonians. Why is it my problem that you want to be both Greek and Macedonian at the same time? If Greece is so concerned about the Republic of Macedonia and the confusion with its Macedonian territory, let Greece change the name of that which is under its jurisdiction and thus dispel the confusion, instead of forcing another country to change its name under duress. Is blackmail and ultimatums the kind of democracy you and Greeks believe in Akritas? Or is it that you have become just too damn efficient of changing place names of cities, towns, villages, rivers, lakes, mountains, personal peoples' names and even cemetery tomb stones all over what you call Greek Macedonia, and I call Macedonia, that now you want to change my personal identity as Macedonian and my country's name of Macedonia as well. And this you call friendship and progressive behavior? No Akritas, it is time that you and Greeks like you understand that Macedonians are Macedonians because that is who they are because that is what they want to be, just like you are Greek and want to be Greek. My job is to accept that and not try to change you by force and blackmail, and your job is likewise to accept me as Macedonian and my country as Macedonia. It is the first and most basic human right of every human being on this earth. That is the first step in mutual self respect and friendship.
ReplyDeleteAkritas, You talk of FIROM propaganda, but totally fail to see your blatant propaganda. Not once in your article do you mention the actual name of the country to the north of Greece, referring to it as FIROM instead. No country in the world is called FIROM. Also people themselves choose who they are, not their enemies. Your job is to recognize and accept that, not to play godfather. Macedonians have no problem with their name, so they have nothing to negotiate. Greece has a problem with Macedonia and Macedonians so let Greece solve its problem. Macedonians do not prevent anyone from calling themselves Macedonian, but Greeks and Greece want to prevent me from being a Macedonian. Furthermore, people like yourself self identify as Greek Macedonians, not as Macedonians, so where is the confusion? I and people like me are Macedonians and you and people like you are Greek Macedonians. Why is it my problem that you want to be both Greek and Macedonian at the same time? If Greece is so concerned about the Republic of Macedonia and the confusion with its Macedonian territory, let Greece change the name of that which is under its jurisdiction and thus dispel the confusion, instead of forcing another country to change its name under duress. Is blackmail and ultimatums the kind of democracy you and Greeks believe in Akritas? Or is it that you have become just too damn efficient of changing place names of cities, towns, villages, rivers, lakes, mountains, personal peoples' names and even cemetery tomb stones all over what you call Greek Macedonia, and I call Macedonia, that now you want to change my personal identity as Macedonian and my country's name of Macedonia as well. And this you call friendship and progressive behavior? No Akritas, it is time that you and Greeks like you understand that Macedonians are Macedonians because that is who they are, because that is what they want to be. Just like you are Greek and want to be Greek. My job is to accept that, and not try to change you by force and blackmail, and your job is likewise to accept me as Macedonian and my country as Macedonia. It is the first and most basic human right of every human being on this earth. That is the first step in mutual self respect and friendship.
ReplyDeletePavle actually said few words in Macedonian language, and you cite them wrong (since you probably do not understand what he said). The correct quote is:
ReplyDelete“Dosta veќe da se plašete, gore glavata, zaedno možeme, mnogu dobro...”
This in translation means:
"Do not be afraid any more, lift up your heads, together we can, very well..."
Here the Greek anouncer interupted him by saying: No, No, No in greek.
Sotir I am a Macedonian, however I am in no way identified with or related to the newly formed independent state referred to as “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” ; I am instead insulted by the fact that I cannot be known as a Macedonian without being identified by others as related to FYROM.
ReplyDeleteMy cultural identity has been usurped.
Where is the justice ?
Antony D. Smith remarks that there are two main kinds of ethnic extinction in the full sense: genocide and ethnocide, which is sometimes - at times misleadingly — called «cultural genocide». In one sense genocide is a rare and probably modern phenomenon. It includes those cases where we know that mass death of a cultural group was premeditated and the basis of that targeting was exclusively the existence and membership of that cultural group
The mainly objection(danger) for Greece does not emanate from the the continuing Slavmacedonian Historical Negoniatism/Revisionism , but from the combinations of forces that can result in the future. Importance does not only have the relative force of state, but the combinations of force where it can include itself and that can use in order to destabilize a neighboring country or a entire region. FYROM does not have the right to acquire, by international recognition, an advantage enjoyed by no other state in the world: to use a name which of itself propagandizes territorial aspirations.
Greece has demonstrated its desire to reach a solution that will lead to the full normalization of bilateral relations, facilitate the course of its neighbor towards the Euro-Atlantic institutions, and consolidate stability and cooperation in Balkan region.
Please next time consider the above facts.
Akritas you wished you had the Macedonian blood or if you had it, I can tell you it is poisoned by the greek propaganda (the name greece started to be used from 1829 when they got freed from the Turks,at least the Macedonian name is used more than 2000 years)but if you got the Macedonian blood it is not too late to become part of the Real Macedonians again.The truth wiil come out whether greece likes it or not ,so all the Macedonians Unate "Dosta vece da se plasete,gore glavata,zaedno mozeme dobro"
ReplyDelete