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ΕFA-Rainbow supports the right of the Catalan people to decide on their future and joins the EFA campaign "Catalonia decides"

Catalonia decides


MAKEDONSKI.ORG

makedonski.org


INTERNET RADIO

Radio Macedonian Culture


A selection of Macedonian blogs in Greece


Abecedar
Aegean Macedonian Culture
Antimakedonismos
Mladini-Makedonci


Anti-macedonian policy during the elections for the European Parliament against Rainbow by the Greek state and the Greek mass media


A scandal by the Parliamentary committee

Greek TV stations sabotage EFA-Raibow

Ultra-nationalists want "borders with Serbia"!

"Hellenic Post" sabbotages EFA-Rainbow Campaign

Typical example of censorship of Rainbow

Attack of the Greek Neo-nazi party




A Greek - Macedonian dictionary by Vasko Karatza printed with the support of EFA - Rainbow
 Greek   Macedonian


D. Lithoxoou

lithoksou.net/home.html
"Extracts of Letters"




Τι έλεγε κάποτε το ΚΚΕ για τους Μακεδόνες


Denying Ethnic Identity:
The Macedonians of Greece, by Human Rights Watch


Linguistics and politics II:
Macedonian Language


Greece's stance towards
its Macedonian minority
and the neighbouring
Republic of Macedonia.


Lawed Arguments
and Omitted Truths


R. Nikovski: Memorandum to the European Parliament
Facts behind the Greek politics towards Macedonia

English  Macedonian


"Proposed disciplinary measures to stamp out the Macedonian minority in Greece by the National Security Service"


Center Maurits Coppieters
European Free Alliance
Federal Union of European Nationalities
Greek Helsinki Monitor
Greek Anti–Nationalistic Movement
Macedonian Human Rights Movement International
Macedonian Human Rights of Australia
OMO Ilinden - PIRIN
MakNews.com
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights


Macedonian Forum for politics and history
 
CONFERENCE ON REFUGEES - 1998

Florina (Lerin)

Watch the video file related to this article

 

From 1990 to 1995 we were witnesses to the drama in the former Yugoslavia, especially in Bosnia. We are very concerned that a similar situation may occur in Kosovo. With this in mind, as well as having our own personal experience, we know only too well that the victims are always innocent people. If they survive then they are cleansed from their birthplaces. Unfortunately, this Balkan tragedy has been repeating itself since the beginning of the century.

On Sunday, July 19, 1998, the RAINBOW party (Vinozhito) hosted a conference in the region of Florina, in northern Greece. The theme of the conference was: Ethnic Cleansing in the Balkans from the Beginning of the Century until Today - Refugees are Always the Victims. Suggestions on a Policy that will Change this Situation.

The conference took place 50 years after the exodus of the Greek and Macedonian children who fled Greece as political refugees during the Greek Civil War (1946-1949). Unfortunately thousands of those who are Macedonian still cannot return to Greece. Greek government policy prevents them from returning because they are of Macedonian origin. These people have been political refugees for 50 years.

In attendance at the conference were, among others:

  • Panayote Elias Dimitras - spokesperson for Greek Helsinki Monitor
  • Ibram Onsonoglu - representative of the Turkish minority in Greece
  • Ilias Zafeiropoulos - representative of the OAKKE political party
  • Stavre Kostovski - representative of the Macedonian Children-Refugees from Canada
  • Pavle Voskopoulos - RAINBOW political party in Greece

The representatives of the Swedish Helsinki Committee, Minority Rights International and the Organization of Bosnians, were unable to attend and sent telegrams of greetings and good wishes

Mr. Kole Mangov - president of the organization "Dignity" in the Republic of Macedonia - was refused a visa by Greek authorities and was, therefore, unable to attend. Similarly, Mr. Risto Chachkirovski, president of the Macedonian Children-Refugees from Canada, was not permitted entry into Greece and was prevented from attending.

In attendance were over 150 people. This included journalists from the "French News Agency," the German newspaper, "Zeitung," the Greek daily, "Eleftherotypia," as well as journalists from local papers.

The discussions were not restricted to the issue of the discriminatory policies of the Greek government against the Macedonian minority, but also included a consideration of the European focus necessary for the Balkan states to overcome the obstacles of the past.

Prior to the start of the conference there was a power failure in the building and the local vicinity. It is not clear whether this was a coincidence or if it was a deliberate act. Fortunately, a back-up generator had been brought for such emergencies. The organizers were, therefore, able to successfully proceed with the conference.

The same morning as the conference, July 19, 1998, members of the RAINBOW party were present at the Greek - Macedonian border at the border crossing Nikki (Negochani) - Medjitlia. They were there to welcome back the former "Refugee Children" -- political refugees from the Greek Civil War. This group was en-route to a reunion event in Edessa (Voden) that same afternoon.

Members of RAINBOW were at the border along with representatives of Greek Helsinki Monitor - who were there as observers. For further information and specific details please refer to the Press Release of Greek Helsinki Monitor: Issues Related to the Macedonian Minority in Greece.

The first group of former Children Refugees (political refugees) arrived early in the day and there were no border crossing problems. RAINBOW was pleased to welcome these ethnic Macedonians back to Greece where they were born. It needs to be noted that there were more than one hundred uniformed policeman not to mention plain clothes or secret police in attendance at the border crossing.

At 12:00 PM that afternoon, some of the RAINBOW members left the border crossing and returned to the conference in Florina. However, several members of RAINBOW remained at the border along with the representatives of Greek Helsinki Monitor to continue their observation.

After 3:00 PM three bus loads of former Children Refugees arrived at the border crossing Nikki - Medjitlia. However only two bus loads were allowed entry into Greece. Many individuals were not permitted to cross the border and were turned back. See the press release of Greek Helsinki Monitor - above.

The border crossing procedure which began at about 3:00 PM lasted until about 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM. Those who were allowed entry into Greece continued to Edessa (Voden). In each of the two buses en-route to Edessa, RAINBOW had placed a representative to assist the visitors during their journey. In Edessa, waiting to greet the visitors, were the Reverend Nikodimos Tsarknias and Mr. Traianos Pasois.

As a precaution, members of RAINBOW accompanied the two buses in private cars. RAINBOW was concerned that their might be an incident as there were provocative flyers distributed by nationalist extremists the day before, on July 18, 1998. However, there were no incidents.

Upon conclusion of the reunion event in Edessa, the two buses with the facilitation of members of RAINBOW, arrived in Meliti (Ovcharani) to attend the annual celebrations of the festival of St. Elijah (Ilindenski Panagir). The former Children Refugees were very warmly received at the celebrations and enjoyed themselves immensely.

Celebrations were not restricted to Meliti (Ovcharani). In other communities, such as Palaistra (Boreshnitsa), Ano Kalliniki (Gorno Kalenik), there were also Macedonian songs and festivities. In these areas, in the past, the residents were afraid to openly declare themselves as ethnic Macedonians and to participate in these cultural events.

On the 26th and 27th of July celebrations were also held by ethnic Macedonians in the areas of Agios Panteleimon (Patele), and Ano Ydrousa (Gorno Kotori). On the 5th and 6th of August similar Macedonian cultural festivities took place in the village of Atrapos (Karpeshina).

It was nice to see that more and more younger people were participating in these cultural events and celebrating their Macedonian ethnic heritage.

Pictures from the Conference [pic 1] [pic 2] [pic 3]

 

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to read the Abecedar!

Promotion of the
Macedonian Language
Primer at the OSCE HDIM

English Greek Macedonian

Greek irredentism and expansionism officially sanctioned by the Greek Parliament
English Greek Macedonian

Letter to Carla del Ponte,
Chief Prosecutor for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

English Greek Macedonian

The Yugoslavian Crisis
English Greek Macedonian

Document of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs

Related to the article - The obvious linguistic particularity - Eletherotypia, 18/11/2006

English   Greek

The ten Greek myths
on the “Macedonian issue”

By IOS team – Eletherotypia, 23/10/2005

Who says there are no
minority languages in Greece?

The "secret" census
in north Greece, in 1920

Map showing the Cultures and Languages in the E.U.

Council of Europe
Framework convention for the Protection of national minorities


English

Greek

Macedonian

Συνέντευξη: Ευάγγελος Κωφός, Έλληνας ιστορικός
Δημοκρατία της Μακεδονίας - Σκόπια είναι όνομα που εκφράζει την ταυτότητά σας

Greek   Macedonian

Ο Παύλος Φιλίποβ Βοσκόπουλος απαντά στον Ευάγγελο Κωφό.
«Το Μακεδονικό ζήτημα είναι η αχίλλειος πτέρνα του ελληνικού μύθου».

Greek   Macedonian
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