WORLD PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATIONS
Communication:
Nina Gatzoulis
Coordinator of the Committee
of World Pan-Macedonian Associations
Email: ninagatz@comcast.net
Tel: 603-742-0466
October 10, 2014
Dear UN Ambassadors,
We, the worldwide representatives of about 3.5 million Macedonians, (Greeks originating from Macedonia in Greece), would like to report recent violations of the 1995 UN-brokered Interim Accord between Athens and Skopje by the Vice President of Parliament and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the FYROM, Antonio Milososki [1]. In September 2014, Mr. Milososki, along with a large group of mountain climbers from his country, reached the summit of Greece’s tallest mountain, Olympus, where he provocatively and triumphantly raised the first flag of his country. This flag contained the sun of Vergina, an exclusively Greek symbol used throughout Ancient Greece and believed to be the emblem of the Royal House of Macedonia. It is because this is a Greek symbol, and it is because the first flag of the FYROM which contained this symbol, expressed a nationalist statement implying overtly that Ancient Macedonian history – and by nationalist extension, northern Greek lands belonged to Skopje, that this symbol was not to be used by Skopje as per the 1995 Interim Accord. The provocations by Mr. Milososki continued in the mountain retreat lodge on Olympus, where he stuck a sticker with the words “Republic of Macedonia” on the table of announcements.
Additionally, Mr. Milososki substantiated his violation when he posted on his social media page the following: “I always carry the flag with the sun of Koutleš that I hold on Mount Olympus with me” (“Koutleš” is the Slavic version of the Greek town Vergina that nationalists in the FYROM use instead of the official Greek name). This is evidence of a refusal by Mr. Milososki to acknowledge Greek sovereignty over its own region of Macedonia.
This is not the first time that Mr. Milososki – in his capacity as a high official of the government of the FYROM – has raised eyebrows so to say by expressing nationalist statements about Greece’s sovereignty over its northern territory. As part of his studies for his doctoral thesis while at the University of Duisberg-Essen, he wrote essays referring to the “Hellenization of Southern (Aegean) Macedonia [sic]”. Finally, in a Newsweek article (March 25, 2008 “Macedonia [sic] Fights for Its Name), he brazenly claimed that there was no “Macedonia” in Greece before 1988.
All these things may seem childish, unimportant, and irrelevant to neutral observers however, we ask that you do not dismiss them as they are not merely ignorant statements. Mr. Milososki, as a former minister of foreign affairs, is very cognizant of what he states and what he does. These are the expansionist nationalist ideas that exist in Skopje’s official narrative from the government all the way down to the education system of the country. The nationalist government in Skopje is systematically indoctrinating a generation of their citizens with ideas that their version of “Macedonia” extends all the way south into Greece ending at Mt. Olympus. In addition, Prime Minister Gruevski has personally overseen his government’s “Skopje 2014” project, usurping Greek history, erecting statues of Greek heroes, re-naming airports and highways after Alexander the Great, and generally provoking the Greek people. Mr. Milosoki’s irredentist behavior, raising his country’s first flag right on Greek territory, topped any other provocation stemming from Skopje’s official government. This is unacceptable behavior from a country that wishes to enter Euro-Atlantic organizations such as NATO and the EU. It is why Greece has complained loudly about the name of the fledgling nation. However, the name issue is only the tip of the iceberg. Greece has been facing an indolent expansionist agenda stemming from Skopje and its Diaspora since the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, and has every right to primarily protect its national interests as well as its cultural heritage and history, now and especially into the future.
Without a doubt Greece has extended the olive branch, made several compromises and has economically supported Skopje for years. Unfortunately, the world has also witnessed how the FYROM has repeatedly violated its obligations to the Interim Agreement, disrespected decisions 817/1993 and 845/1993 of the UN Security Council, and ignored the European Council decisions taken in Brussels on 12/16/1991, in Guimarães on 5/3/1992, in Lisbon on 6/27/1992, as well as in Edinburgh on 12/12/1992.
Unchecked nationalism and extremism in former Yugoslavia have led to two wars since 1991 with a potential spillover of instability into neighboring countries. It is therefore the duty of the international community to intervene and correct the misconceptions of the FYROM’s Slavic population which aggressively dwells in an imagined glorious past, culminating in ideas that are dangerous and potentially destabilizing for the whole Balkan region. Mr. Milososki’s actions are inexcusable considering his position in Skopje’s government.
Sincerely,
Pan-Macedonian Association USA- Dimitris Chatzis, Supreme President
Pan-Macedonian Association Australia – Dimitris Minas, President
Pan-Macedonian Association Canada – Demetris Yantsulis, President
Pan-Macedonian Association Europe – Archimandrite Panteleimon Tsorbatzoglou, President
Pan-Macedonian Associations of Africa – Amyntas Papathanasiou, President
THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF MACEDONIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Nina Gatzoulis, Coordinator (Representing over 150 Macedonian Organizations)
Philoptohos Brotherhood of Men of Thessaloniki – Theodore Dardavesis, President
Florina Chapter in Thessaloniki – Demitrios Gakis, President
Association of Pisoderites the World Over “Saint Trinity”- Michael Liakos, President
Thracian Hearth of Thessaloniki-Benjamin Karakostanoglou, President
Federation of Western Macedonian Associations of Thessaloniki-George Tzoulis, President
“Omada 21” (Team 21) Macedonia – Thrace – Antonios Daskopoulos, President
Pan-Hellenic Federation of Cultural Chapters of the Macedonians – George Tatsios, President
ASSOCIATIONS BELONGING TO MACEDONIAN “COUNCIL”
Florina Chapter of the Descendants of the Macedonian Struggle Fighters
Amyntaio Chapter of the Descendants of the Macedonian Struggle Fighters
Florina Educational Team “Aristotle”
Cultural Chapter of Sitaria Florina
Cultural Chapter “New Horizons” Sitaria, Florina
Cultural Chapter “Alexander the Great” of Polyplatanos, Florina
Alexander the Great Chapter of Ethniko-Kratero-Agia Paraskevi
Carrier of history and Culture “Iera Drys” of Kella, Florina
Cultural-Educational Chapter “Amyntas” of Skopia, Florina
Connection of Letters and Arts of Kozani Prefecture
Cultural Chapter of Kozani “The Macedonians”
Association of Edessa’s citizens “Ion Dragoumis”
Association of Macedonian Veteran Descendants of Edessa and Almopia
Folklore Society of Pella Prefecture
Association of Edessa’s Friends of Antiquities “The Timenides”
Cultural Association “Edessa’s Book Friends”
Association of “Macedonian Cultural Home” of Aridaia
Association of “Friends of Macedonian Cultural Tradition” of Almopia
Educational Association of Ida Eksaplatanos “Ion Dragoumis”
Historical and Folklore Society of Giannitsa “Filippos”
Macedonian Dance and Cultural Association “Amyntas” of Kalyvia
Educational and Environmental Club of Pella “Ancient Pella”
Cultural Association of Kato Grammatiko “Patriarchis Xrysanthos”
Community of Letters and Arts of Kozani Prefecture
Educational Association of Florina “Aristotle”
Cultural Association of Ethniko-Kratero- Agia Paraskevi of Florina “Alexander the Great”.
Cultural Association “Elpida Melitis”of Florina.
Pan- Hellenic Association of Macedonian Veteran Descendants “Pavlos Mellas”
Pan-Hellenic Cultural Society “Makednos” Thessaloniki
Cultural and Educational Society in Arnaia-Chalkidiki
Macedonian Artistic Society of Kilkis “Art”
Society for Study and Research of the History of Serres
Youth Educational Chapter of Arnissa
Educational-Cultural Chapter Lefkadion “St. Paraskevi”
Chapter of Startsovites & Friends “St. Minas” New Petritsi – Serres
Association of people from Monastiri (Bitola) of Thessaloniki “Karteria”
Macedonian & Thracian Association of Papagou and Holargou –Athens
Association of Women from Thessaloniki-Macedonia in Athens
Pan-Macedonian Association of the Macedonian Struggle-Thessaloniki
Pan-Macedonian Confederation in Athens
Federation of Western Macedonian Associations in the Prefecture of Attica
Confederation of Macedonians in the area of Attica
Association “Alexander Filippou Greek Macedon”
Cultural Association of Kozani “Oi Makednoi”
Macedonian Association of Volos
Cultural Association Grivas-Kilkis
Cultural Association of Polyplatanos-Naousa
Youth Cultural Association of Polyplatanos-Naousa
Friends of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, Prefecture of Kastoria
Association of Drama’s Cultural Studies
Informative Committee of National Issues
Macedonian Chapter “Alexander the Great” in Iraklio, Attica
[1] http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_22/09/2014_543103