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Ouranio Toxo / Vinozhito / Rainbow
Press Release After the Greek Municipal Elections
October 23, 2002
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this page in Greek
In MEGA television's broadcast, "The Hour of the Ballot Box,"
October 10, 2002, the media representative of the New Democracy party,
Mr. Rousopoulos, attempted to justify the defeat of the departing prefect,
Mr. Altini, who was supported by New Democracy in Florina.
Mr. Rousopoulos claimed that PASOK won the prefecture of Florina because
it aligned with RAINBOW whom he accused of supporting the autonomy of
Macedonia and whose members have separatist views and want to change the
borders. He specifically mentioned Mr. Petros Dimtsis, vice-president
of RAINBOW. Mr. Dimtsis was one of RAINBOW's candidates who were successfully
elected within a coalition.
In the broadcast Mr. Rousopoulos "forgot" to mention that New
Democracy had asked a RAINBOW candidate to participate in their list but
were declined.
But what can we say of the "Sherlock Holmes" of the Greek press
who in an "exclusive" report for the benefit of a private television
station (Antenna, June, 1993) claimed to have "discovered" the
secret heroin production laboratory of former Macedonian president, Gligorov,
in Skopje?
With behaviour that reminds us of the political Middle Ages Mr. Rousopoulos
is a modern day inquisitor waiving papers in his hand but avoiding deliberately
to read what is written on them. His intent being to tarnish and slander
Mr. Dimtsis and the RAINBOW party so as to justify the defeat of the New
democracy coalition in Florina.
To contradict the political immorality of Mr. Rousopoulos and others
who attempt to distort the ideology of our party we present below a relevant
section of our political Manifesto:
RAINBOW considers that the struggle for peace requires the respecting
of existing borders - independent of past historical injustice. The
battle for civic equality and social justice should be headed by progressive
forces within the boundaries - a Balkan region without confrontations
and wars - where nations will live in brotherhood and shared well-being. |
Since its inception in June 1994, RAINBOW has never expressed a separatist
view. Both our political ideology and actions move in the opposite direction
to what Mr. Rousopoulos alleges. As a characteristic example we cite below
from our speech to the parliamentary assembly of the European Free Alliance,
of which RAINBOW is a member, in the European Parliament (12 05 2000):
We, the ethnic Macedonian citizens of Greece and the European
Union understand the sensitivities that exist in Greece and other
Balkan countries among the majority populations when there is mention
of minority rights. We believe that ethnic minorities, especially
in the Balkans, must through their behaviour calm the majority and
guarantee that by exercising their rights they are not seen to be
disrupting the peace or promoting the changing of existing political
borders. Especially in the Balkans, such perceptions lead to Great
Ideas and military conflicts. |
RAINBOW further denounces the television station MEGA, the responsible
parties of whom lack any journalistic ethics and refused to accept our
telephone calls when we tried to correct misrepresentations in regard
to a broadcast by Ana Panagiotarea during the central news bulletin of
Tuesday, October 22, 2002. During this broadcast MEGA kept repeating the
same accusation - that RAINBOW is an organization of separatists.
Finally, and on a more positive note, RAINBOW would like to congratulate
all its members who were elected to the prefectures and municipal councils
and hopes they will actively participate in them.
Political Secretariat
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