Issue # 17 January 2014 ISSN 1839‐8639

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Contents... MHR Review no.17 published in January 2014 as a survey of the previous September ‐ November

3 Reflections on our Status George Vlahov

6 The Poetry of Mihail Rendzhov Dr. Michael Seraphinoff

8 The Australian Macedonian Drama Group Jim Thomev

16 Good Neighbourliness a la Bulgare Dr. Chris Popov

23 Forthcoming Young Bilbili and Human Rights Tour of Australia

24 The Only Solution & Always Behind George Papadakis

30 “Celebrations” of the Council of Europe

32 UN Hypocrisy Bill Nicholov

34 A Macedonian Revival Tom Vangelovski

37 Pre & Post Cold War Greece Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski Vamvakovski

page 2 January 2014 MHR Review Front and Back cover photos ‘OHRID Street Scene 2011’ by Johnny Tsiglev

Some Reflections on our Current Status

By George Vlahov

The MHR Review is now into its fifth year of exis‐ tence and in reading through the articles of this is‐ sue, I couldn’t help reflecting on the obvious, which is that many of the themes that were prevalent in the very first issue are still occupying the pages of our journal. While reading the articles for this issue, I also gained the feeling that it is a particularly reflective collection. There is a lot of looking back and concern about what may lay ahead, though there is always going to be a decent proportion of that anyway – members of social movements will ‘naturally’ feel a need to attempt to measure whether they are indeed moving, be that forwards or backwards.

There also seems to be a notion floating at the edges of our circles about the present as beginning to ap‐ pear to be a permanent present, which again, is indi‐ cated by the similarity of themes in the first issue. One cannot help, at times, feeling engulfed by a little too rapid. He comes towards patrons with a step sense that one is cemented, that one isn’t going any‐ a little too quick. He bends forward a little too ea‐ where and that one has become pigeon holed; or gerly; his voice, his eyes express an interest a little too worse still, that one is going backwards, that one is solicitous for the order of the customer. Finally there losing the battle. I am going to begin to reflect a little he returns, trying to imitate in his walk the inflexible on this, by reversing the emphasis and slightly alter‐ stiffness of some kind of automaton”. Sartre then ing the lexicon of a quote from the Simpsons cartoon adds that he, the waiter, is playing, “playing at being show: Sartre may be smartre, but Camus can do (on a waiter in a café… This obligation is not different to the show, the quote went “Camus can do, but Sartre that which is imposed on all tradesmen. Their condi‐ is smartre”). tion is wholly one of ceremony. The public demands So in accordance with that, I shall begin by noting of them that they realize it as a ceremony; there is that in Being and Nothingness Sartre discusses some the dance of the grocer, of the tailor…” etc. of the problems associated with life in modern soci‐ Sartre’s complaint is that society demands of the gro‐ ety. His discussion is wide ranging and there is not cer that “he limit himself to his function as a grocer” space here to do it justice. I am merely going to seize and thereby, requires that the grocer act in what Sar‐ upon an aspect of it and try to connect it back, via tre often referred to as “bad faith”. He acts as if he is Camus, to the concerns mentioned in the paragraph something which he is not; societal pressures have above. Sartre describes a waiter in a café whose “… reduced him, to a meaningless, for him, highly lim‐ movement is quick and forward, a little too precise, a ited, repetitious set of motions.

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One could launch discussions of various sorts from strictive hegemonic cultural forms and because of here. For example, I have often heard the claim that the often inequitable, or even iniquitous nature of individuals inhabiting modern society need to be lib‐ economic/market forces. erated from their societal masks so that their real We have commented in an earlier issue that this can selves might be permitted to become manifest. Such undoubtedly be a problem for many; though it can simplistically put assertions can be rejected after only be exaggerated and sometimes is, by people willing a little reflection – there is simply no self beyond so‐ to claim the rights afforded to them by society, but ciety or community; selves inhabiting a particular not the responsibilities attached to the maintenance society are created via the social interaction of that of those very rights. There is also of course the argu‐ society. ment that one’s attitude towards one’s occupational On the other hand, it might, quite legitimately be role is important; but there is no point in making gen‐ complained that the numerous sides of a particular eralized claims which ignore specific contexts – all individual’s real, i.e. socially created self, are suffo‐ one can say is that for some people, the advice of “be cated as a result of the imposition of limits resulting positive”, “make the best of it”, “do something about from a society’s uneven dispersal of power, or re‐ it”, might be of some use.

It is a piece of advice one can draw from Albert Ca‐ might be able to exert themselves more productively mus’s ruminations in “The Myth of Sisyphus”. As in some other field. some of you will know, Sisyphus was a man con‐ Camus concluded that if the Sisyphus “myth is tragic, demned by the gods to roll a large rock up a hill, only that is because it here is conscious.” And undoubt‐ to observe it roll back down to the bottom of the hill edly, from a certain perspective, as Sartre also sug‐ again and then to keep repeating the chore again and gested, the “workman of today works every day in his again for eternity. Sisyphus is a labourer who might life at the same tasks, and his fate is no less absurd.” be viewed as an “absurd hero”, given, as Camus A higher level of self‐awareness is undoubtedly wrote: “that unspeakable penalty in which the whole something that distinguishes humanity from animals being is exerted toward accomplishing nothing.” This and the repetitive nature of certain work activities, is an extreme version of the “bad faith” holding pat‐ more in some fields than others, can make one feel tern alluded to at the beginning of this essay, which demeaned or downgraded to the level of an animal may be causing some members of the Macedonian condemned to an endless replication of cycles of ex‐ human rights movement to wonder whether they cruciatingly boring actions. On the other hand in the

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field of repetitive and for the most part physical la‐ Camus remarked that “Happiness and the absurd are bours, there are pleasures of the flesh to be gained two sons of the same earth” and we can agree that and if humanity is to endure, it must not forget this much pleasure can be gained by some of us at least, essential side of existence. from existence in modern society, by embracing what for others is an unworkable paradox. Camus Moreover, consciousness of a never ending and concluded on Sisyphus by reminding us that “his rock thereby for some, of a degrading repetitiveness, is his thing” and that: “The struggle itself toward the might be avoided by losing oneself in the role, by be‐ heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must coming the role, by immersing oneself in “bad faith” imagine Sisyphus happy.” For better or worse, being and thus defying the contempt of those in positions Macedonian is our thing and even if we feel at times of power, seemingly possessing more liberty of as if we are not progressing, that we are locked up in movement, more freedom to express their creative a Sisyphustic cage, we would do well at those points sides. Again this is not to be taken as a generaliza‐ to remind ourselves that we are striving to affirm our tion; it is just something which might apply to certain embodied reality; that for many of us, there is no people in some scenarios. other reality which can satisfactorily transcend the Perhaps more importantly, in the context of the Ma‐ particular “societal mask” we have inherited. In other cedonian human rights movement, by reminding our‐ words, our inheritance is not a mask veiling the real, selves that our labours, unlike those of Sisyphus, still it is reality. possess the possibility of transcending what momen‐

tarily appears to be a forever present, we might still remain positive, if not entirely happy. This can be Lastly, many of us would do well to observe that reinforced by bearing in mind that our efforts are while our bigoted opponents possess more power directly linked to the way many of us feel we need to and seem to have more freedom of movement, they exist as a result of the cultural context we have inher‐ are currently in a state which can be deemed even ited. Others who sneer at the Macedonian human more Sisyphustic than ours – as is demonstrated by rights movement, because they view it as something the mocking laughter they often induce against which is not related to “real material” issues like the themselves for the chronic utterance of deceit, like inequalities created by various economic and political Sisyphus himself, who was banished to his rock by structures, would do well to grasp that ethnic or any the gods, for similar behavior. I am referring to dec‐ other kind of identity, is also a material matter. Such larations of the kind which insist that an embodied identities are an essential aspect of the human condi‐ reality, plainly visible to much of the world, does not tion. They are indeed social constructions, but so are exist. Camus can indeed do for at least some of us; or economies and political systems; they are tied to‐ more accurately, can assist some of us to keep doing. gether in that they all involve embodied, very real,

life experiences and to demand of an identity group that it surrender its name or pretend to itself that it George Vlahov doesn’t exist, is the same as asking it to agree to put itself through a highly traumatic self‐emasculation.

P.S. Our production designer and assistant editor, Ljubica Durlovska, was not available for this issue and so John Tsiglev from the AMHRC stepped in for her. Thanks John! We also welcome to our team, Ljupco Stefanovski and Mitch Belichovski.

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The poetry of Mihail Rendzhov

By Dr. Michael Seraphinoff

According to the biography posted at the on‐line Ma‐ cedonian literary journal Blesok’s website, “Mihail Rendzhov is a poet, translator. Born 25th August 1936 in Štip. Finished secondary education in his na‐ tive town. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, at the Mihail Rendzhov University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje. Works at the National Library “St.Kliment Ohridski” in Skopje as a librarian counsellor. Member of the Ma‐ the “Balkanika” award (2000), “Racin Award” for his cedonian P.E.N. Centre and a member of the Mace‐ short‐stories collection Tales about Zaharij (2004).” donian Writers’ Association since 1965. I have sometimes heard the complaint that Macedo‐ Works: A migrant of fire (poetry, 1965), Growing of nians have far too many writers for such a small the word during the night (poetry, 1967), Where from population of speakers. There is the hint here that this side (poetry, 1968), On the brink of the dream perhaps many of them are promoted simply to pro‐ (poetry, 1972), Fear (poetry, 1976), Midnight (poetry, mote the national language, because, unfortunately, 1979), Nerezi (poetry, 1982), Autodafe (poetry, it is deemed necessary since Macedonian is regarded 1985), Phoenix (poetry sonnets, 1987), Earth Flood with such hostility and contempt, for blatantly racist (poetry, 1991), Dreaming travelling (book for chil‐ or political reasons, by the ruling circles in neighbor‐ dren, 1991), Him (lyrical poem, 1993), Deck of cards ing Bulgaria and Greece. 33 (poetry, 1994), The eternal, the endless one (poetry, 1996), I, the oxymoron (poetry, 1998), An‐ gela is dreaming (poetry for children, 1998), Psalms However, a review of the work of a writer such as (poetry, 2000), Apocalypse (poetic drama, 2002), Mihail Rendzhov will readily dispel any notion of a Tales about Zaharij (short stories, 2004) writer who has been promoted for anything other than the merit of his intellectual artistic work. In fact, He is the author of many translations/renditions, in‐ the fine work of hundreds of Macedonian artists, cluding Gilgamesh, the Assyrian ‐ Babylonian epic writers of belle lettres and works for stage and (three editions: 1994, 1997, 2000). screen, musicians, composers, artisans, and the like, testify to the Macedonian right to share the world Awards include: The award of the Struga Poetry Eve‐ stage with all other acclaimed creative people of di‐ nings for unpublished poem (1964), “The November verse cultures. It is a rather easy task to work for the award of the city of Štip” for his poetry book A mi‐ preservation and come to the defense of works of art grant of fire (1965), “11th October” and “Miladinov that delight us with their beauty and truth. And one brothers” for his poetry book Nerezi (1982), “Grigor of my chief purposes in writing these reviews of Ma‐ Prličev” for rendition of the book Tyranny of the cedonian literature is to show readers just how much Dream by Carolina Ilika, “Prličev wreath” for the lyri‐ there is to delight in Macedonian literature. cal poem Him (1993), “Grand prix international” for his entire work, Romania (1997), “Zlatno pero” for The poetry of Mihail Rendzhov is unique in Macedo‐ rendition of the book Wisdom and Bitterness by nian literature. There is often a deliberate harking Dritero Agoli (1998), “Aco Šopov” for his poetry book back to poetic sacred texts of the Judeo‐Christian I, the oxymoron (1999), Macedonian nomination for

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tradition. In fact, the title of his Now listen to these two exam‐ popular work, Psalmi, both takes ples, with their simple beauty, of the name and imitates much of Mihail Rendzhov’s poetic work. the style of the book of Psalms in These are among my favorite po‐ Psalm 28 the Bible. The colorful decoration ems from the book Psalmi. of the text of that book (Psalmi,

Tabernakul, Skopje, 2000) also Сполај Ти за убавото: harks back to the decoration of Psalm 22 Убавото што го кажувам, medieval manuscripts and an ear‐ lier age of printed books, espe‐ Убавото што го пеам, cially those considered holy or Низ мојата чешма Убавото што го немеам, sacred to readers. Твоја вода тече, Убавото што ме сонува,

Над моето небо Убавото што ме прогонува, There is a deceptive simplicity to Твој гулаб лета, Убавото што го гледам, much of Rendzhov’s poetry. I am most readily reminded of the de‐ Низ моите дрвја Убавото што го следам, ceptively simple poetry of the Твој ветер игра, Убавото што го боледувам, acclaimed 19th century American Од мојот облак poet, Emily Dickinson, who also Убавото: Страдањето, drew much inspiration from and Твој дожд роси, Најубавото: вознесувањето. often imitated the style of church Во мојата градина songs. Listen, for example, to the short Dickinson poem, Chartless, Твоја птица пее. and tell me, after you have read the works of Mihail Rendzhov Song 28 below, if it doesn’t remind you of his works: Song 22 Thank you for the beauty:

The beauty that I speak,

Through my fountain The beauty that I sing, I never saw a moor, Your water flows, The beauty to which I am numb, I never saw the sea; Up in my sky The beauty that dreams me, Yet I know how the heather looks, Your dove flies, The beauty that banishes me, And what a wave must be. Through my woods The beauty that I gaze upon,

Your wind plays, The beauty that I follow, I never spoke with God, From my cloud The beauty that tortures me, Nor visited in heaven; Your rain drizzles down, And the beauty that suffers, Yet certain am I of the spot In my garden And most beautiful of all, As if the chart were given. Your bird sings. The beauty transcendant.

A review by Dr. Michael Seraphinoff, January, 2014.

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(founded 1984)

By Jim Thomev

The following paper was pre‐ tralia and special thanks must go community in Australia and the sented at a workshop I was in‐ to the wholly admirable Alexan‐ special atmosphere in the general vited to run at a conference on dra Sada, a member of the board. multicultural Australian society Arts policy for a multicultural Aus‐ that made this possible. Whilst I tralia in March 1988 in Adelaide. can plead that the occasional na‐ The proceedings of that confer‐ Readers of the Review should find ture of the task made it difficult ence sub‐titled ‐"Towards a cul‐ this period piece of interest as it to think through many relevant tural democracy", were published focuses on the formation and issues I do not have an excuse for by the Australia Council, the background of the Australian‐ some of the omissions. In particu‐ sponsors of the conference, and Macedonian Drama Group which lar I want to pay tribute to the my finished article can be found had a decade long life (1984‐ Macedonian Women’s Choir of in full on pp.107‐111. My work‐ 1994). When the workshop was Melbourne which had a magnifi‐ shop was listed under the rubric held in March 1988 the drama cent career in the general Austra‐ of "Ways of Affirming Identity" group had been in existence for lian community, singing beautiful and the title of the paper was: four years, since its first perform‐ traditional Macedonian songs in The struggle for Relevance and ance at Preston Town Hall in May the most visible national forums. Community participation Through 1984. It is with some misgivings It deserves to be remembered as Drama‐A Macedonian perspec‐ that I revive this piece before the it was extremely successful and tive. I would like to thank the Aus‐ public as I am only too aware of popular among music circles, ably tralia Council for the wonderful its inadequate coverage of both led and conducted by the very support it gave to the Arts in Aus‐ the changes in the Macedonian talented Margarita Vasileva,

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Greece. amongst many which shape one’s identity. In 1986 I had given a talk in the Rotunda at Monash University on Note: Nevertheless, for the sake b. In choosing activities we re‐ similar themes, the Macedonian of its historical accuracy, the only veal our fundamental sense of language, aspects of Macedonian changes I have made are minor – what is valuable and relevant. history and the formation of the some typos, the odd bit of shaky c. That ethnicity can be used drama group. My host for the talk grammar, a factual omission positively for self‐affirmation, the was Professor Michael Clyne to about Macedonians in Albania expression of one’s talent. whom I had introduced myself and the names of the directors after hearing one of his ground Ethnicity is nevertheless merely a have been given. Times were breaking lectures on multilingual springboard for a fuller participa‐ tough in 1988; I was editing a bi‐ Australia at a Melbourne Univer‐ tion in the human community. lingual newspaper at the time, sity conference on multicultural had been heavily involved with themes held earlier that year. the historical demonstration against the aggressive La Trobe A Preamble University conference, and the I want to acknowledge and pay (European) Communist world was special tribute to the late Profes‐ already rumbling towards col‐ About five years ago (1983) I re‐ sor Michael Clyne, not only for his lapse. sponded to my wife Fay’s chal‐ distinguished work on Australia’s lenge to translate J M Synge’s languages, but his support of the “Playboy of the Western World” Macedonian language in particu‐ WORKSHOP: WAYS OF AFFIRMING into my own brand of folkloric lar. He was the key witness at the IDENTITY (1988) Macedonian dialect. I knew the hearings when the Macedonians colour would be there, the earthy took action against the appalling Title of paper: concrete reality, and the words Jeff Kennett directive to change and rhythms that have emerged the way in which the Macedonian out of a long tradition from the language was referred to in all The struggle for relevance profound lives of simple folk. I Victorian services. This unprece‐ and community participa‐ knew instinctively that the lives of dented and discriminatory reclas‐ people who had played out their sification was a wasteful act of tion through drama – a lives in villages which had not small‐minded cruelty based on a Macedonian perspective changed for hundreds of years lie done at the behest of the inevitably had a good deal in shameless local Greek lobby as a common regardless of whether misguided political vote‐catching Introduction they were found in Macedonia or exercise. Ireland.

Let us avoid making this an exer‐ I should put on record something cise where we reduce identity to Noticing that my Macedonian else I did not give enough atten‐ a few socio‐economic concepts or was holding its own and doing tion to at the time: the remark‐ learned quotes from Erik Erikson justice to Synge’s vivid and pictur‐ able audience response of so because I merely intend to tell esque verbal music, I was inspired many people. The sheer jubilation you a few stories. I hope they do to write an original play based on that the Macedonian colloquial a better job than the philosophis‐ my own experience that would language, ordinarily restricted to ing about identity which tempts reflect the lives of the Macedo‐ the home, was used for enter‐ us with questions such as ‐ Who nian people in Melbourne. Like all tainment and artistic purposes on am I? What is real? And so forth… Macedonian families that had a public stage. It gave many peo‐ My intention is to demonstrate a emigrated after the Second ple an immense sense that the few ideas through talking about World War and the Civil War in language had been validated as a their concrete enactment, Greece, my social situation was legitimate vehicle for communica‐ namely: one where we were a group that tion and it was thriving in a coun‐ try where it wasn’t stigmatised as (Continued on page 10) worthless or inferior as it was in a. Ethnicity is one factor

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(Continued from page 9) challenging to produce once I workers. The Australian Macedo‐ read it to a number of interested nian Drama Group of Melbourne stuck together using the Macedo‐ Macedonians. I therefore em‐ was formed giving its first per‐ nian dialect we had brought with barked on writing four one act formance on 24 May 1984 at Pre‐ us as the main social and familial plays about the lives of Macedo‐ ston Town Hall. code. Zborvavfne po nashe bez nians and together with one pismo. (“We spoke in our lan‐ other play co‐authored by Lupcho guage without a written form”.) Temelkovski and Stefo Stoja‐ A historical digression novski (both secondary school teachers like myself), we soon Within a few months, I wrote one had a big group forming, compris‐ It is important to give a brief his‐ full length play which was too ing of teachers, students and torical digression: the Macedoni‐

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ans in Australia. Drama Group draws most of its thus getting the best of both membership from the Lerin‐Bitola worlds – the broader range and

region and most of the barriers of precision of the literary language Macedonia has been a divided the “partition mentality” have with the concreteness and ex‐ land since 1913 and today it falls been broken. pressive power of the dialect. within the borders of Greece

(51%), Bulgaria (10%), Albania (2%) and Yugoslavia (37%) where Drama: A way of relating So it is obvious from a brief re‐ there is a Socialist Republic of flection on the language situation Macedonia where Macedonians to the world of the drama group that they are are recognised, i.e. have full na‐ not affirming any simple idea of ‘a tional, cultural and linguistic Macedonian identity’. The com‐ rights (since 1944). Greece and The Australian Macedonian plex process of the interrelation Bulgaria are the only countries in Drama Group has had many suc‐ between an upbringing in Mel‐ the world where a specific and cesses since its first production of bourne with all the incursions and unique Macedonian culture and five comic one‐act plays in May influences of the host culture in a language are not recognised. 1984. They have captured a size‐ Macedonian household cannot be able audience of Macedonians in viewed simply as an either/or

Melbourne, have given many situation where you have one The emigration of Macedonians people an outlet for their talents intact culture vying for mastery has been two fold. The Macedo‐ in writing, acting, designing, de‐ with another in the individual nians from Greece, many of veloping organisational skills and psyche. Most of us are composite whom were political refugees, above all giving a sense of pur‐ identities, who are always in the started coming to Australia in the pose with a worthwhile and process of coming to terms with 1930s and their numbers boomed highly appreciated community ongoing experiences. So what in the post‐war decades, espe‐ activity. identity do we affirm? I suggest cially in the 1950s. The Macedo‐ that the drama group is a mani‐ nians from the Republic of Mace‐ festation of a sui generis group. Curiously enough, for the major‐ donia in Yugoslavia mainly came Put simply, the group is a unique ity of the members of the Austra‐ in the late 60s through the 70s produce of the experiences of lian Macedonian Drama Group, and continue to emigrate. The Australians of Macedonian origin English is the dominant language, time factor is significant in put‐ who have pooled their resources and for most, Macedonian is a ting a wedge between these Ma‐ and talents, in order to develop domestic patois. One of the dis‐ cedonians locally but worse has what is positive in their heritage. tinguishing features of the plays is been the “partition mentality” “To develop” is a key verb be‐ the tough and sinewy language of since 1913. This manifests itself cause most cultures imported the dramatic pieces which is in the way people from the same into Australia by immigrants need drawn from the spoken linguistic linguistic region may regard to progress, to make adjust‐ heritage of the Macedonians in themselves as different ethnic ments. This is a natural inevitable Australia. The language is under‐ groups because of an arbitrary process made less traumatic in stood by all Macedonians who border that was placed between Australia thanks to its enlight‐ speak any variant of the language them. Thus although most of the ened approach to minority ethnic because whilst it is in a colloquial Macedonians in Melbourne for groups. form with regional characteris‐ instance are from the Lerin‐Bitola tics, its vocabulary is central to region which belongs to the cen‐ the spoken tradition. tral dialects on the territorial lin‐ Let us as an illustration of the guistic map, these groups have complexity as to what identity or been divided by such artificial image is being affirmed by Mace‐ A notable departure from the labels as Yugoslav‐Macedonian donians through drama by look‐ colloquial language has been the and Greek‐Macedonian, many of ing briefly at one of the longer work of Tom Petsinis who has whom use the labels themselves. dramas “Blood is Thicker than written his originals in English and Water”. then translated them into a hy‐ brid of the standard Macedonian The Australian Macedonian language and his regional dialect, (Continued on page 12)

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(Continued from page 11) and Dedo Kosta had eloped when be pro‐Greek, the other a Mace‐ young because of their grand pas‐ donian nationalist and the third sion and that their eldest son would be Australian dominant Risto, was born three months af‐ culture assimilated, rejecting any I will tell the story allowing you to ter the wedding! reference to his background as ‘politics’. After two acts, I knew make up your own mind about the value orientation and the as‐ the play would not be written. In Act 4, the baby has just been pects of identity being explored in From its sepulchre, the 5 act com‐ born and the proud parents, this play: edy described above emerged Giorgi and Silvanna, in compli‐ that still availed itself of the same ance with tradition, name him – basic theme of the “partition In Act 1, Risto, a middle‐aged fac‐ Risto. Risto, the more than reluc‐ mentality” only the tone and em‐ tory worker, rages against his eld‐ tant grandfather, is outraged. phasis was comic, prompting a est son, Giorgi, who he refuses to However, in spite of his intransi‐ happy ending. gence, he breaks under the pres‐ allow inside his house. Giorgi is not only living ‘in sin’ with a girl, sure from the whole family. The but she has become pregnant. onslaught on his ‘mistaken’ no‐ The challenge of the tragic ap‐ She happens not to be Macedo‐ tions of morality and his absurd proach has been taken up by Tom nian – Silvanna is Italian. Risto’s adherence to a very narrow con‐ Petsinis in his drama “The immediate family, his wife, his cept of ethnic identity, which his Drought”. This is an audaciously parents (Dedo Kosta and Baba family believes to be irrelevant in imaginative performance where Kostoitsa) as well as Giorgi’s multicultural Australia, finally rec‐ the writer uses a chanting chorus younger brother Kosta are con‐ onciles him to the situation. of women dressed in black to punctuate the action which ex‐ tinually opposing Risto’s irrele‐ vant sense of shame and dis‐ plores a conflict over patrimony One could easily assume the play grace. The conflict takes on a terminating in fratricide. ends happily at the end of Act 4. new dimension when Risto learns However, the final act presents that his younger brother Ilo has the image of the wedding and “The Drought” is a sombre piece sent his children to a Macedonian christening guests in which life, which reaches into the deepest ethnic school which Risto believes its vitality and exuberance, are terrors of the Macedonian audi‐ to be run by communists. presented in a display of verbal ence, many of whom could iden‐ pyrotechnics, masquerades, tify with the misunderstandings In Act 2, Ilo insists on the reason‐ jokes, drunkenness, and a serene and torment resulting from strug‐ ableness of his action but Risto is song to reconcile all discord and gles over property inheritance. implacable because of his igno‐ all pain which tells of the tragedy The main burden of the plot is to rance of historical realities and of the Macedonian people and show how the brother who his misconceptions about his own their eternal capacity for survival comes back from Australia to the identity. The situation appears and refusal to accept defeat. old country has his intentions misunderstood by his older even more irrevocable when Giorgi and Silvanna decide to get brother who has stayed in the The writing of this play has an married three months after the village with his old folks and wife. interesting background. I had baby is born, and for reasons of At the Lady‐Macbeth like egging initially conceived a tragedy economy, want to hold their mar‐ on by his wife, he kills his brother. which would depict the disinte‐ riage and the christening of the The gravity of the miscuing has gration of a Macedonian family baby on the same day. The un‐ the dimensions of classical trag‐ who had migrated to Australia cles approve, the grandparents edy. The blindness of the human from Greece. The essence of the are delighted. soul and its lack of charity lead to tragedy was to present three catastrophe. brothers who were suffering from

In Act 3, the grandparents’ benign the “partition mentality” com‐ and tolerant attitude is explained mon to the Macedonians since Due to a minimum of local or spe‐ when Baba Ristoitsa reveals to the violent division of Macedo‐ cific reference the action could the women in the family that she nian in 1913. One brother would have occurred anywhere in the

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world. The fundamental concern gram where a young man and The Australian Macedonian is with the play of universal ele‐ woman are matched for a date. Drama Group is quite unusual in mental passions which motivate One explanation for this, prof‐ the fact that, for all the modesty human beings. fered by the writer of this piece, of its financial resources and the Stefo Stojanovski, one of the fact that the traditional patriar‐

founders of the group in 1984, chy who hold power in the Mace‐ The play is written in a mode was that it dealt with one of the donian community organisation which assumes a good knowledge central preoccupations of main‐ see them as a threat and have of literature in the West, as there stream Macedonian culture in therefore been reluctant to back are many biblical allusions and Australia (or traditionally in vil‐ them morally or financially, they other points of reference with lage life); this is, “who and when have managed six successful pro‐ aspects of the European tradition. to marry”. This is certainly one of ductions and attracted govern‐ The reception of the play, due to the dominant theses between the ment funding. Everyone worked its weighty seriousness was generations and one of the emo‐ on a voluntary basis and there mixed. The audience had been tionally explosive areas. were many people who contrib‐ inclined to expect much lighter uted their skills in acting, costume fare which the other writers had design etc which has made the supplied with satires, send‐ups, The themes explored by the writ‐ experience for everyone involved situation comedies etc. An indica‐ ers are diverse regardless of the exhilarating. tion or gauge of the kind of inter‐ mode of treatment; they are in‐ est that many of the audience evitably related to the experience brought to this theatre was the of the audience. There are six writers who have degree of popularity of a send up already contributed substantially of “Perfect Match”, a silly pro‐ (Continued on page 14)

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(Continued from page 13) and we are Macedonians in Australia”. But the deeper meanings, the more significant and many scripts are available from other events that culminate in such an epiphany writers. This is an unusual situation where are the arduous processes of “plays/that all material is written by members of the have to be set up in fifty ways”. At the final group who have all experienced the Austra‐ curtain there is a collection of individuals lian multicultural society. We are yet to on the stage who have all told us some‐ have a director who speaks Macedonian; thing about themselves: singers, dancers, the very first director was a Polish‐speaker, writers, directors, actors, musicians, pro‐ Maciej Stankowicz, and the others were duction crew and others important to the highly talented local drama teachers and drama have collectively made a human practitioners like Michael Cathcart (now an statement that people create culture to be ABC Arts broadcaster), John Jacobs and shared and to add to the human spirit. Russell Walsh. Their voluntary services were invaluable. Jim Thomev Conclusion March 1988

The Australian Macedonian Drama Group does more than affirm the simple fact that Macedonians have a vital culture which they have selectively retained and pre‐ sented in Australia. It also marks a devel‐ opment of the heritage insofar as many of their audiences did not have a tradition of theatre in the sense that it has been pre‐ sented to them by the Macedonians grow‐ ing up in Australia who are critical of tradi‐ tional culture.

Beyond the Macedonian identity many links with the broader community have been formed. The four directors of the six productions have all been non‐ Macedonians who did not speak the lan‐ guage of the plays but worked with transla‐ tions. This heightened the sense of a com‐ munal adventure because the director could not be an absolute tyrant in all mat‐ ters. Two of Tom Petsinis’ plays were cho‐ sen for a play reading by the Anthill Thea‐ tre Group which is an alternative English language drama centre.

Most significant of all in this cultural enter‐ prise is the whole process which involves participation from the moment the scripts are chosen by the committee till the last curtain call. Stated broadly, the drama group is saying to the world “Here we are

page 14 January 2014 MHR Review

page 15 January 2014 MHR Review

Good Neighbourliness a la Bulgare

By Dr Chris Popov

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister ‐ Kristian Vigenin

Some Historical Background kan contenders, Serbia and Greece, in the context of the demise of the Ottoman Empire in Europe.

A constant of Bulgarian state doctrine, foreign policy and historiography since the 19th century has been The Eastern Crisis of 1875 to 1878 saw Ottoman Tur‐ the idea that Macedonia is a quintessential Bulgarian key vanquished by Russia, which witnessed as a di‐ land inhabited primarily by ethnic Bulgarians. Bulgar‐ rect result the brief liberation of Ottoman held terri‐ ian historians and politicians have often rapturously tories in Europe. The Crisis was ultimately resolved at described Macedonia as representing the “most ro‐ the Berlin Congress in June 1878 in a meeting of the mantic part of Bulgarian history”. This obsession with European powers, whereby Macedonia was returned Macedonia in Bulgaria has its roots in the second to Ottoman control after having been temporarily part of the 19th century when the nascent Bulgarian included – under the terms of the San Stefano Treaty state was developing an arsenal of highly dubious of March 1878‐ in a Greater Bulgaria. The Treaty of historical, cultural and linguistic theories to justify its Berlin revision drove Bulgaria to side with Central claim to Macedonian territory vis‐à‐vis its main Bal‐ Powers and the Axis in World War One and Two re‐

page 16 January 2014 MHR Review

spectively, in an attempt to include most of ethno‐ ethnicity of the Macedonian majority of the Republic graphic Macedonia within its borders. Except for a of Macedonia‐ as well as supporting the chauvinist brief period from 1947‐48 when the Macedonians in Greek campaign to change the Republic of Mace‐ Pirin Macedonia were granted recognition as a dis‐ donia’s name‐, is the desire to ideologically buttress tinct ethnic group and cultural autonomy, the consis‐ its annexation of Macedonian territory pursuant to tent policy of the Bulgarian state has been to con‐ the Treaty of Bucharest and to remove what it irra‐ tinue to forcibly assimilate the Macedonians in Bul‐ tionally sees as an ‘irredentist threat’ from the Re‐ garia and to refuse to acknowledge the Macedonians public of Macedonia. in the Republic of Macedonia as Macedonians.

Clauses which Sacrifice the Rights of Others While some more moderate Bulgarian nationalists may acknowledge that since 1944 a “new Macedo‐ nian identity” has formed in the Republic of Mace‐ It is against this historical, political and ideological donia, albeit with “historical Bulgarian roots”, more background that one must evaluate Bulgaria’s insis‐ strident Bulgarian nationalist propaganda stresses tence on Macedonia signing a Treaty of Good that Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia are Neighbourly Relations as a precondition for Bulgaria “Bulgarians who have been forcibly ‘Macedonianized’ not vetoing Macedonia’s accession to NATO and the as a result of a deliberate campaign of Serbification EU. designed to split the Bulgarian nation”. In sum, at the core of Bulgaria’s denial of its sizeable ethnic Mace‐ donian population and its refusal to acknowledge the (Continued on page 18)

page 17 January 2014 MHR Review

(Continued from page 17) defending the status and the rights of persons who are not citizens In February 1999 the governments of Macedonia and of the Republic of Bulgaria signed a Joint Declaration to regulate coop‐ eration between the two countries in the areas of Macedonia. trade, economic development, tourism, movement of goods and capital, culture, education, healthcare, social welfare, sport etc. Most of the clauses dealing The two countries shall undertake effective with these matters are standard and non‐ measures for controversial. However, clause 11‐ the most political preventing ill‐intentioned propaganda by in‐ and contentious in the whole declaration‐ contains stitutions and agencies formulations which highlighted not only Bulgaria’s intention to continue its non‐recognition of Macedo‐ and shall not allow activities by private indi‐ nians throughout the Balkans, but also the strong pro viduals aimed at instigating ‐Bulgarian sympathies of then Macedonian Prime violence, hatred or other such actions which Minister Ljupco Georgievski who signed the declara‐ might harm relations tion of behalf of Macedonia. between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia.” Namely, clause 11 states as follows: (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/ Bulgarian_Policies_on_the_Republic_of_Macedonia, “11. Neither of the two countries shall under‐ Bulgarian Policies on the take, instigate Republic of Macedonia (2008) or support any actions of a hostile nature di‐ Lyubomir Ivanov et al.) rected against the other country. The concession made to Bulgaria that Macedonia would not interpret article 49 of the then Macedo‐ nian Constitution to defend the rights of the Macedo‐ Neither of the two countries shall allow its nians in Bulgaria‐ in direct contravention of the con‐ territory to be used stitution, as a joint intergovernmental declaration cannot override a nation’s major legal document against the other by any organisations or from which all governmental authority stems‐ caused groups which make it their great controversy in Macedonia, as it effectively object to carry out subversive, separatist or abandoned Macedonians in Bulgaria to the whims of other actions threatening the Bulgarian state. It must be stated that up until this point the Republic of Macedonia had taken very the peace and security of the other country. few concrete measures to defend Macedonians in Bulgaria (and still does not do so today); neverthe‐ less, this official commitment to not “defend the The two countries do not have, and will not status and rights of persons who are not citizens of lay, any territorial the Republic of Macedonia” in essence conceded that claims to each other. Bulgaria could continue to deny and forcibly assimi‐ late Macedonians in that country. The Republic of Macedonia hereby declares that nothing in Tellingly, the concluding paragraph of the Declaration contains the following formulation: its Constitution can or should be interpreted as constituting, now or “Signed on 22 February 1999 in Sofia, in two whenever in the future, a basis for interfer‐ originals, each ence in the internal affairs in the official languages of the two countries of the Republic of Bulgaria for the purpose of (Continued on page 20)

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page 19 January 2014 MHR Review

(Continued from page 18) still no agreement with Macedonia have delayed pro‐ gress on drafting a treaty acceptable to both coun‐ tries; not surprisingly, many of the same issues were ‐ in Bulgarian language, included in the aforementioned 1999 Joint Declara‐ according to the Constitution of the Republic tion. of Bulgaria, and in Macedonian language, according to the Con‐ The Macedonian newspaper Vecer on 14 December stitution of the Republic of 2013 commented as follows on these issues: Macedonia, both texts being equally authen‐ tic.” “…Official Sofia seeks guarantees from Mace‐ donia that Article 49 of the Constitution does While such a formulation would appear unremark‐ not constitute a basis for interference by the able to those not conversant with Macedonian‐ Republic of Macedonia in Bulgaria’s internal Bulgarian relations, it is striking that rather than stat‐ affairs. According to Article 11 of the Declara‐ ing “…. in two originals, each in the official languages tion on Good Neighbourliness of 1999 signed of the two countries – Bulgarian and Macedonian….”, by the then prime ministers of both countries, it was deemed necessary by Bulgaria to insist on the Lubco Georgievski and Ivan Kostov, which the qualifying phrases “……according to the Constitution Bulgarians now wish to see develop into a of the Republic of Bulgaria, and… according to the Treaty on Good Neighbourliness, Macedonia, Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia…”. The in effect, has assumed a series of obligations reason for this was that it allowed Bulgaria to con‐ without those same obligations being as‐ tinue to refuse to recognize the Macedonian lan‐ sumed by the other party. The Eastern guage, by in effect being able to state that the lan‐ neighbour demands that Macedonia sign on guage used in the Declaration is Macedonian accord‐ to the obligation that it will give up its right ing only to the Macedonians (or should that be to defend the rights and the status of the Ma‐ “wayward Bulgarians”?) and their constitution, but cedonians living in Bulgaria, which directly not in Bulgarian eyes; all in keeping with their tradi‐ damages Macedonia’s national interests. tional doctrine that Macedonian is merely a Western Skopje and Sofia are also unable to agree on Bulgarian dialect. what language the document should appear in. According to Vigenin, that is a technical Good Neighbourliness as Abuse issue and it would be possible to use the for‐ mulation which has been used up till now, that is, the agreements could be drafted in As we have pointed out above, Bulgaria has for the the Macedonian language, in accordance past 3 to 4 years insisted on Macedonia signing a with the Macedonian Constitution and in Bul‐ Treaty of Good Neighbourly Relations as a precondi‐ garian, in accordance with the Bulgarian Con‐ tion for it not vetoing Macedonia’s accession to stitution. The third contentious matter is the NATO and the EU. In so insisting, it mirrors and sup‐ most sensitive as well‐that connected with ports the Greek tactic of abusing its right of veto by historical issues. Vigenin stated that the two demanding that the proposed treaty contain clauses parties have specific views about how to re‐ which directly undermine Macedonian identity, lan‐ solve this conflict and to bring about a cli‐ guage and history, so as to advance the myth that mate whereby history ceases to be a cause of the territory of the Republic of Macedonia is a his‐ division, but rather one creating unity. torically Bulgarian region inhabited predominantly by Vigenin also stressed that because of the un‐ ethnic Bulgarians. As previously stated, such de‐ resolved issues with Bulgaria and Greece, at mands, at their core are designed to justify its an‐ the upcoming EU Summit Macedonia would nexation of Pirin Macedonia and to perpetuate the not be granted a date for beginning negotia‐ nationally unifying dream of Treaty of San Stefano tions with the EU. Bulgaria.

The talks between Bulgaria and Macedonia Bulgarian Foreign Minister Vigenin recently stated for the conclusion of an agreement on good that three contentious matters about which there is

page 20 January 2014 MHR Review

neighbourliness and cooperation are continu‐ garia are not explicitly mentioned in Article 49 of the ing. We are creating the necessary political current version of the Macedonian Constitution, nor climate so that they can be successfully con‐ are the Macedonians in Greece. Article 49 states as cluded, however we have still not reached the follows: stage where it can be signed. Efforts to har‐ “The Republic cares for the status and rights monise our views are continuing, which is the of those persons belonging to the Macedo‐ most important thing at present. There is a nian people in neighbouring countries, as well desire on the part of both parties to make the as Macedonian expatriates, assists their cul‐ necessary compromises, tural development and promotes links with stated Vigenin” (http://www.vecer.com.mk/ them. The Republic cares for the cultural, default.asp? economic and social rights of the citizens of ItemID=AD74BCCE25FC054493D8AF13E3BD the Republic abroad.” CF84 ,Софија бара гаранција дека (Устав на Република Македонија Македонија нема да ги штити правата на {Пречистен текст со Амандмани од 4‐18}, Македонците во Бугарија! , Vecer, 14 De‐ Агенција за иселеништво на Република cember 2013) Македонија, Скопје, Февруари 2002.)

Despite the diplomatic speak employed by foreign By insisting that the 1999 formulation continue to be minister Vigenin, it is clear that the Bulgarian position used to describe the Macedonian language, it effec‐ has remained essentially unchanged since Macedonia tively withholds formal recognition of the Macedo‐ attained its independence in 1991 and since the Joint nian language as a separate, distinct language from Declaration of 1999. Bulgaria demands that Mace‐ Bulgarian and permits Sofia to continue propagating donia formally renounce its constitutional obligation the linguistically unsustainable position that the liter‐ to defend the status and rights of the Macedonians ary Macedonian language is merely a “Serbianized in pursuit of its strategic political goal of “proving” Western Bulgarian dialect”, again in support of the that those persons with a Macedonian ethnic con‐ argument that Macedonians are Bulgarians. sciousness in Bulgaria (and ultimately in the Republic of Macedonia) are Bulgarians. It is pertinent and in‐ teresting to point out here that Macedonians in Bul‐ (Continued on page 22)

page 21 January 2014 MHR Review

(Continued from page 21) in historically buttressing the Bulgarian contention that contemporary Macedonians in Bulgaria, the Re‐ public of Macedonia, Albania, Greece and Serbia are essentially “Bulgarians with an undeveloped or di‐ The attempted Imposition of a Monolithic History and luted Bulgarian identity”. Present It is therefore quite apparent that like its ally Greece, In insisting that Macedonia and Bulgaria “bring about Bulgaria will continue to use its privileged position as a climate whereby history ceases to be a cause of a member of NATO and the EU to continue to black‐ division, but rather one creating unity”, Vigenin is in mail the Republic of Macedonia into accepting its effect demanding that important historical events demands in order to advance morally bereft internal which have played a key role in forming Macedoni‐ and external political and foreign policy goals whose ans’ unique ethnic identity in the recent past, such as realization will paradoxically only contribute to fur‐ Ilinden, the birth and death of revolutionary leaders ther destabilization in the Balkan region. Given this blatant abuse of the right of veto by Bulgaria, one must of necessity pose the question; does good neighbourliness, when exercised from a position of power and privilege, mean that any demand, how‐ ever unreasonable and irrational, may be made in the name of good neighbourly relations in order to advance corrupt and pernicious political and foreign policy goals?

Given the open support lent by the EU and NATO to the political blackmail being practised by Greece and Bulgaria against the Republic of Macedonia, it is more than clear that good neighbourliness a la Bul‐ gare, as well as a la Greque, has been accepted as a legitimate political tool which “members of the club” can employ against those who seek to enter the “exclusive realm” inhabited by these privileged mem‐ bers. Sadly, tolerance of such means and methods demeans not only NATO and the EU, but also the principles which they loudly proclaim as their founda‐ tion stones.

Dr. Chris Popov is an Executive Member of the AMHRC.

Yane Sandanski

such as Goce Delchev, Nikola Karev and Jane Sandan‐ ski and the founding of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO/VMRO) , be cele‐ brated in a manner which denies the possibility of interpreting these events as relating to distinctly Ma‐ cedonian political manifestations and, as a corollary, Vigenin is also seeking to advance the argument that the major actors and protagonists of these events were purely ethnic Bulgarians. This, of course, assists

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page 24 January 2014 MHR Review

The Only Solution

By George N Papadakis

Early last November I finally suc‐ Mount Kajmakchalan, are simply seen in Lerin as I climbed the ceeded, after nearly a year, in breath taking. This unique moun‐ 2,182 meters from Rakovo to the visiting a place in the region of tain is so ‘sweet’ and its flora and peak of Krivi Kamen. Upon leav‐ Lerin [Florina in Greek], which, for fauna offer such a friendly sanc‐ ing the path which only a four various reasons, I very much like. tuary that I truly did find it very wheel drive can manage, I began Above everything else, I like the difficult to work up enough desire my ascent alone and at this point people because some of my very to eventually leave. it occurred to me that only the best friends live there. Apart from Alps can be said to possess a simi‐ It was the perfect ‘tonic’ for my that, this small magical piece of larly beautiful landscape. But I disposition, which was not the earth offers a retreat into nature was troubled by the thought that best. Prior to beginning my ascent which is very relaxing. It was this is where the similarities end; on the mountains, I took a short quite amazing, for two whole why? Isn’t it possible to develop stroll through the market area of days I experienced total enjoy‐ these 17 kilometres of bushy Lerin. It was early on Saturday ment – beginning with the beauti‐ mountain road, which at some morning and the scene was quite ful Macedonian pastries in points reaches and exceeds a disappointing, depressing even; Domna, then onto Lazheni and height of 2,000 metres? Why very few people were on the finally reaching the peaks of the couldn’t this road become our streets and many of the shops southern part of Mount Pelister Hochalpenstrasse? What have were empty or shut. I spoke to (Bela Voda, Kribi Kamen, Kichevo the Austrians, Swiss, Germans, some of the shopkeepers, ac‐ etc). Because I am a fanatical Italians and French done, that quaintances of mine: “Don’t you devotee of the mountain, I took hasn’t been done here? Quite see? There is nothing to say. Lerin an opportunity to make a second simply, they saw and took a is gone, dead. Nobody shows any sojourn from Rakovo and via a 17 unique opportunity to promote concern for us, though what is kilometer forest track, reached the wonderful tourist potential of worst is that we don’t show con‐ the village of German in the the Alps and they used all possi‐ cern for ourselves.” Prespa region. From the peaks, ble means. Apperceiving the the views of Prespa, Mount Vi‐ I thought much about those value of mountain roads, they cho, the Pelagonian plain and words and about what I had just (Continued on page 26)

page 25 January 2014 MHR Review

(Continued from page 25) tion of a second case. The Alpine central government rejects the Jaufenpass/Passo Giovo is located idea, couldn’t the local Lerin created and maintained new in the autonomous Southern Ty‐ Council carry out a plan to recon‐ ones, even in national parks – all rol at a height of 2,094 meters struct the forest track leading in order to create easy access to like “our” mountain pass Rakovo‐ from Rakovo to German, so that it places of surreal beauty, like the German. It is open all year round, matches the standards of glaciers located in the Alps. conditions permitting during win‐ Hochalpenstrasse or the ter and it may be viewed as an Jaufenpass? Moreover there are I will give you two examples and alternative route to the town of European funding programs avail‐ then you can draw your own con‐ Meran from the Brenner Pass on able for such measures. clusions. The Grossglockner Na‐ the Italo‐Austrian border. Even tional Park in the Austrian Alps Why shouldn’t the region be de‐ though it doesn’t have a toll, and the mountain road which veloped as tourist destination, which is the case with most of the leads to it, annually admits al‐ not only for the inhabitants of mountain roads of the Alps, the most two million visitors. The toll Greece, but also of Bitola, which local government ensures that is 23 Euros for cars and 17 for is only 20 kilometers away? Even the road is well maintained. So on motorbikes, which not only cov‐ if we don’t succeed at first in at‐ account of that and its indescrib‐ ers the cost of maintaining the tracting large numbers of English able natural beauty, the road an‐ road (don’t forget that we are and German tourists to the Lerin nually attracts over 250,000 visi‐ talking about a height of over region, then we can hope to tors and their needs are catered 2,000 feet) but also the conserva‐ share it with our neighbours in for by dozens of restaurants and tion of the whole national park. If the Republic of Macedonia. When hotels located along its 22 kilo‐ this seems excessive, then it it finally be understood the lin‐ meter stretch. This mountain pass needs to be understood that it is guistic and ethnic distinctiveness is also used by cycling teams from an especially beautiful location in of the Lerin region can be used as all over Europe during the sum‐ the heart of the Alps and that a tool to create growth, rather mer months as a training center apart from the glaciers, visitors than be regarded as something to and according to the German can observe rare forms of fauna be forever condemned. The ex‐ driver’s union (BVDM), it is the 6th and unique flora. This direct reve‐ ample of the Southern Tyrol per‐ most popular Alpine destination nue of Grossglockner, which re‐ fectly illustrates the possible for bicyclists. flects a large number of visitors benefits. However in order to ob‐ over the course of only 7 months I think you will agree with me tain such benefits, one must (during the remaining 5 months that our friends in the Southern make an effort. One needs a local the Hochalpenstrasse remains Tyrol, with the aid and support of government which has the vision closed on account of winter) has the Italian government, have cre‐ to develop a concrete plan and created enormous associated in‐ ated something that others can the courage to move on that plan, dustries – restaurants, accommo‐ emulate. They have simply made even if it means ignoring the di‐ dation, sporting activities and the good use of something which na‐ rectives of the central govern‐ sale of various types of tourist ture’s wealth had in essence al‐ ment. We already know about paraphernalia – in the surround‐ ready given them. Why can’t we the negligence of those who have ing areas, with an annual turn‐ do the same in the region of been in government until now – over, wait for it, of over four bil‐ Lerin? Why don’t we also organ‐ about the miserable state of all lion Euros. ize a request to convert Mt. Pelis‐ the regions inhabited by Macedo‐ ter/Baba into a national park, as nians. The local elections are All the same, this example may has already been done in the Re‐ nearing and if the situation is not appear incomparable to our cir‐ public of Macedonia? Even if the changed, now that we have cumstances, so I will make men‐

page 26 January 2014 MHR Review

reached the bottom, then my Davutoglu [Turkey’s Foreign Min‐ erty rights. We need to explain shopkeeper friend in Lerin will ister] visited Athens and made a the order of events here. most definitely be proven right – call to Greeks born in Turkey, The German community in Vo‐ we don’t even care about our‐ who for various reasons no longer jvodina (a territory, on which to‐ selves. live there, to return. He even en‐ day, 24 ethnic groups are offi‐ couraged them to reclaim their P.S. During the course of my cially recognised!) at the begin‐ citizenship and property rights. journey from Rakovo to Ger‐ ning of 1939, numbered nearly Then I became depressed when I man, I met a total, on a Satur‐ half a million; with the com‐ thought about how far behind mencement of the war and the day, of 6 souls: one shepherd Greece is, on the issue of minority NAZI invasion of Yugoslavia, it dog, which quickly became my rights. After that I renewed my was obvious that they would be best friend after I shared my search to find something positive useful to Germany’s occupation pastry with it and five people. and finally some news from Ser‐ authorities. Several thousand bia, grabbed my attention. We did not speak even one Germans from Vojvodina pre‐ word in Greek – even the dog Even though the news cannot be sented themselves – not always had been trained in Macedo‐ viewed as optimistic for Greece, I voluntarily – for service before nian. I leave you to draw your decided to share it with you in the Wehrmacht and participated own conclusions. the hope that some people will in operations on the Eastern learn something from it. So what Front. In 1945 after the defeat of happened in Serbia? Something the Axis, the reprisals made by similar to what we heard from the new communist regime of Always Behind Turkey’s Foreign Minister. With Yugoslavia, were severe. The so‐ the encouragement of the local called Volksdeutsche (= “German‐ authorities in the autonomous folk”, paraphrased in Serbo‐ Theoretically and because it is my province of Vojvodina, member Croatian as “Folksdojsteri”) were first article in the New Year, I of the ethnic German minority officially declared “enemies of should try to find something opti‐ who lived there until the end of the state”; their villages and mistic to write about, just for a WWII and were forcefully re‐ towns were forcibly emptied and change. I thought about it for moved upon the end of the war, (Continued on page 28) days, it was quite difficult. Then have begun reclaiming their prop‐

page 27 January 2014 MHR Review

(Continued from page 27) sons of their own, began to unof‐ the Secretariat is not yet widely ficially encourage former mem‐ known, especially outside the those who did not manage to es‐ bers of Vojvodina’s German mi‐ borders of Serbia. cape to Germany or Austria, were nority to return and reclaim their A single perusal of the Secre‐ arrested. Many ended in camps in citizenship and property. Around tariat’s website is enough throw Serbia or were taken by train to three years ago this measure us, the citizens of Greece, into Siberian gulags, where the major‐ gained an official character via depression. The site has the abil‐

ity of them died. Thus it is no sur‐ the establishment of the Secre‐ ity to inform any visitor in 8 lan‐ prise that the census of 1958 re‐ tariat for the Return of Property guages (Serbian, German, English, corded only 32,000 Germans in Titles. More recently, the Union Hungarian, Slovakian, Romanian, Vojvodina and today, the number of Germans in Vojvodina, based Turkish and Hebrew) about the is no more than 5,000. in Subotitsa, publicized the de‐ process by which property claims tails of the first claims to be made All those members of the German can be made and even a choice is by the Volksdeutsche for the res‐ community which managed to offered in regard to when any toration of property titles. The survive by fleeing from Vojvodina claimant wishes to lodge the rele‐ number of claims so far made, lost their Yugoslav citizenship and vant documents. amounts to 312; 199 from Ger‐ properties. Much of latter were mans in Serbia; 70 from Austria And we here in Greece are still occupied by settlers from other and 43 from Germany. It is ex‐ trying to convince ourselves and parts of Yugoslavia. After the col‐ pected that the number will sig‐ others that we inhabit a Euro‐ lapse of the Yugoslav federation, nificantly rise as the existence of pean state which respects the the Serbian authorities, for rea‐ law. Officially anyone who wants

page 28 January 2014 MHR Review

to make a claim for the return of average neo‐Greek citizen. It may property is free to go before the be that we need to continually courts, which will make the final highlight to the citizenry, the back‐ decision. We sell this dubious form ward nature of the state in which of “justice” to international organi‐ they live and in that way change zations which question us about their thinking patterns. At present human rights violations. This worth‐ the average citizen is satisfied with less “argument” was used some the regime and full of pride for the years ago by the then premier, basketball team. It is time to Kostas Karamanlis, when the Mace‐ change these attitudes so that donian premier first raised with when, for example, the Chief of Po‐ him, in written form, the issues of lice in Athens declares that his am‐ the rights of the Macedonian mi‐ bition is to make the life of immi‐ nority, the return of Macedonian grants difficult, the citizenry reacts political refugees and their proper‐ by demanding the removal of such ties, which had been confiscated by stupid racists. the neo‐Greek state. This will be the basis of my activity But modern European states are in the New Year. Therefore prepare not supposed be in the business of yourselves for the highlighting of so cheaply avoiding their responsi‐ more embarrassing neo‐Greek phe‐ bilities. Moreover, that which Tur‐ nomena. I hope that by the end of key is planning to do and which Ser‐ another year, I will have something bia is already doing (and yet both more optimistic to write about. states are obviously something less than ‘modern’) is something we aren’t even considering. And how George Papadakis is a could we, when we have a premier member of Vinozhito – a who wants Father Christmas to give Macedonian political party him the present of making Macedo‐ nians disappear? With the neo‐ struggling for the human rights Nazi’s of “Golden Dawn” holding of Macedonians in Greece and a firm at nearly 15% in the polls and journalist who writes for Nova the shenanigans of the para‐state? Zora, a newspaper promoting Such conditions do not allow for it. the concerns of Macedonians in They signify a cultural problem to Greece. which the only solution may be via the regular embarrassment of the

Translated from Macedonian by George Vlahov of the AMHRC.

page 29 January 2014 MHR Review

International Human Rights Day and the "Celebrations" of the Council of Europe

Lerin (Florina)/Gorna Dzumaja (Blagoevgrad)/Pustec/Toronto/Melbourne ‐ December 10/2013

Press Release ‐ Vinozhito, OMO Ilinden PIRIN, MAEI, MHRMI and AMHRC

The Council of Europe held an event on November 25, 2013 to “celebrate the 15th anni‐ versary of the Framework Convention (for the Protection of National Minorities)”.

It would have been more appropriate to revisit the failures of the implementation of the Framework Convention. A perfect opportunity would have been the Advisory Commit‐ tee’s third visit to Bulgaria, which took place from November 11‐15, 2013. Bulgaria has ratified the agreement but is free to continue denying the existence of its Macedonian minority, execute state‐sponsored discrimination and ignore various European Court of Human Rights rulings in favour of the Macedonian minority. Greece, which has never rati‐ fied the agreement (was this fact really "celebrated" by the CoE?), is, of course, free to do the same.

According to the Council of Europe, the Framework Convention’s goals are “to protect within their respective territories the existence of national minorities” which has been an absolute failure, yet the CoE has the impudence to include the following, albeit well‐ intentioned but obviously unattainable (for the CoE) goal “Considering that a pluralist and genuinely democratic society should not only respect the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of each person belonging to a national minority, but also create appro‐ priate conditions enabling them to express, preserve and develop this identity.”

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Considering that the CoE cannot get Greece, one of its own member‐states, to even admit the existence of any ethnic minorities on its territory, how does it expect to enforce the creation of “…appropriate conditions enabling them (minorities) to ex‐ press, preserve and develop this identity.” ? One also has to wonder why a Greek rep‐ resentative was even permitted to attend the CoE "celebrations".

The Council of Europe would be well‐advised to explain what methods they have in enforcing these principles and why, to date, they haven’t been used.

Furthermore, does the CoE not see the irony in referring to the Republic of Mace‐ donia as “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (quotes included) in its list of member‐states while it claims to be defending and promoting human rights? As “… the continent’s leading human rights organisation”, one would think that the CoE would understand the concept of self‐identification.

The European Free Alliance – Rainbow/Vinozhito is a political party of the Macedo‐ nian minority in Greece. The party has offices in Florina/Lerin and Edessa/Voden. For more information please visit www.vinozito.gr, or by email: [email protected] or on +30 23850 46548.

OMO “Ilinden” PIRIN is a political party supporting the rights of the Macedonian mi‐ nority in Bulgaria. It has been banned since 2000, despite a 2005 European Court of Human Rights Judgement ruling that the decision was a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. For more information please visit www.omoilindenpirin.org.

The Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI) is a political party of the Macedonian minority in Albania advocating human rights for Macedonians through‐ out Albania. For more information please visit www.macedoniansinalbania.org.

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) has been active on human and national rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed peoples since 1986. For more information: www.mhrmi.org, www.twitter.com/mhrmi, www.facebook.com/mhrmi, [email protected], +1 416‐850‐7125.

Established in 1984, the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) is a non‐governmental organisation that informs and advocates before international institutions, governments and broader communities about combating racism and pro‐ moting human rights. Our aspiration is to ensure that Macedonian communities and other excluded groups throughout the world, are recognised, respected and afforded equitable treatment. For more information please visit www.macedonianhr.org.au, email [email protected] or via +61 3 9329 8960

page 31 January 2014 MHR Review

The United Nations‐

Spreading Hypocrisy Throughout the World

The United Nations General Assembly must realize other organization and international body imagin‐ the irony in recently electing, as it refers to it, the able. The excuse being that any agreement in the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” as a mem‐ United Nations takes precedence. ber of the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2014‐2016. In Macedonia, the UNHRC is getting a The International Olympic Committee, for example, member‐state that is incapable of defending its own has Macedonian athletes marching between Finland most basic human right, that of self‐identification, by and France, behind the “Former Yugoslav Republic of continuing to participate in the ludicrous UN‐ Macedonia” sign and waving bastardized versions of sponsored name negotiations. the Macedonian flag as to not offend Greece, the country that is trying to wipe it off the map. It must As a member of the UNHRC, Macedonia will be ex‐ be every Macedonian athlete’s dream to, one day, pected to aid in “…strengthening the promotion and walk in the Olympic Opening Ceremonies under “F” protection of human rights around the globe…” while, and represent the great country of “FYROM”. of course, simultaneously giving in to immense pres‐ sure by many UN member‐states who demand that Now who is more to blame? The UN and its member‐ Macedonia end the so‐called “name dispute” with states for pressuring Macedonia to change its name, Greece by changing its name. The hypocrisy abounds. even though the vast majority of them, including four of the five permanent UN Security Council members, The UN has made a mess of this situation since Ma‐ have recognized Macedonia using its proper name? cedonia declared independence in 1991. Because it Or Macedonia, for agreeing to negotiate its own succumbed to pressure from Greece, the UN would name? Common sense dictates that a major reason only allow Macedonia entry if it changed its flag and that the West is calling for Macedonia to accepted the so‐called “temporary reference” of "compromise" and change its name is because it con‐ “FYROM” or “Former Yugoslav Republic of Mace‐ tinues to negotiate it. The mere participation of Ma‐ donia”. While this measure was supposedly to be cedonia in the negotiations indicates that it is willing used only within the UN, it cascaded to almost every to compromise.

page 32 January 2014 MHR Review

Macedonia would have been well‐advised to take the Of course, Macedonia should not hold its breath offensive with the name dispute, but instead, chose waiting for the UN to act. It must live up to the UN’s to continuously defend itself against Greece’s ridicu‐ self‐proclaimed ideals, and immediately withdraw lous claims. The prevalent argument is that Mace‐ from the senseless name negotiations. donia wants to appear diplomatic and “fit in” with the West. Well, name another country that is willing to negotiate its name based on xenophobic stupidity. Bill Nicholov, President

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International Greece claims that it objects to Macedonia’s name because of “confusion” between the Republic of Ma‐ cedonia and the Province of Macedonia (which

Greece annexed after the partition of Macedonia in 1913). If this were true, the Belgian province of Lux‐ embourg would demand that Luxembourg change its name, and the US state of Georgia would declare war on the Republic of Georgia.

As former Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitso‐ takis admitted in 1995, Greece initiated the “name dispute” as an excuse to keep denying the existence, and persecution, of its large Macedonian minority and the Macedonian people as a whole. It has been stringing the world along in the claim that Macedonia is trying to usurp an “historically Greek” name. Ironic Macedonian Human Rights Movement International that Greece now claims that “Macedonia is Greek”, (MHRMI) has been active on human and national but it was not until 1988, when Greece realized that rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed independence for the Republic of Macedonia was peoples since 1986. For more information: imminent, that it renamed “Northern Greece” to www.mhrmi.org, www.twitter.com/mhrmi, “Macedonia.” Prior to this, Greece’s policy was that www.facebook.com/mhrmi, [email protected], +1 416 Macedonia did not exist. ‐850‐7125.

Instead of investing more time in trying to mediate a solution to an unsolvable problem, the UN, and cur‐ rent UN mediator for the name dispute Matthew Ni‐ metz, should take the lead of the first UN mediator, Robin O’Neil, and denounce the name negotiations. According to Mr. O’Neil, “Macedonia must not and will not change its name in order to appease Greece. If Macedonia succumbs to pressures and changes its name, such events will only give more firepower to Greece until it reaches its final goal ‐ Macedonia to vanish from the map."

page 33 January 2014 MHR Review

Martin Luther King ‐ “I have a dream”...

A Macedonian Revival

By Tom Vangelovski erned by fear, to feelings of infe‐ essarily, negotiate our very iden‐ riority and the need to rely on the tity and partially transfer national ‘benevolence’ of outsiders for self sovereignty to Athens with regard Political and social decay among ‐worth and subsistence. This to the constitution and national the Macedonian people has been mindset has permeated all symbols. It also allowed Athens, present for a long time. In large spheres of Macedonian life and, rather than scientific evidence, to part, this has been sustained by a in particular, political life. determine historical facts. The peculiar mindset which has devel‐ fact that Macedonians even con‐ oped over centuries of oppres‐ templated such ideas defies be‐ sion. Our oppressors have trained The most pronounced example of lief. The fact that it has been on‐ the Macedonian attitude to con‐ this is the capitulation surround‐ going for over 20 years is undeni‐ form, accept its conditions and ing the Interim Accord with able evidence that Macedonians remain subservient for fear of Greece and our complete disre‐ suffer from a mindset that is self‐ greater turmoil should we at‐ gard for our inalienable rights and destructive and, quite frankly, tempt to resist. This mindset has freedom. The Interim Accord has unacceptable adult behaviour. subjected many to lead lives gov‐ led us to voluntarily, and unnec‐

page 34 January 2014 MHR Review

freedom is superficial at best, ence, their revival came inter‐ with the majority of Macedonians nally. It was led by a small but Goce Delcev diagnosed this con‐ and their leaders clearly unable dedicated group of people who dition over a century ago and or unwilling to freely determine began with a strategy of public considered its resolution as our their own affairs and exercise education, legislative lobbying, greatest duty. In a nutshell, it was their inalienable rights. and litigation, and then broad‐ his definition of the Macedonian ened their strategy to direct ac‐ cause: tion including boycotts, sit‐ins, This article is not an attempt to Freedom Rides, marches and explain in detail the phenomena Моралната револуција – similar tactics that relied on mass of this peculiar mindset. Nor is револуција во умот, mobilization, nonviolent resis‐ the question whether we require срцето и душата на tance and civil disobedience. a moral revolution (as Delcev еден ропски народ, е These community leaders mobi‐ termed it), or a national revival in најголемата задача (The lised volunteers to participate in more modern terms. The focus of moral revolution ‐ the broad‐based actions through this article is about where such a revolution of the mind, churches, local grassroots organi‐ revival needs to come from – heart and soul of an en‐ sations, fraternal societies, and within Macedonia or the outside, slaved people, is our African American‐owned busi‐ namely the diaspora? greatest task). nesses. The risks undertaken by these grassroots leaders accom‐ plished an immense societal While there are many examples Delcev understood that real free‐ transformation not only among across history, two prominent dom from oppression begins in the African American community, ones stand out from the 20th the hearts and minds of the op‐ but across the entire nation. They century. Though the contextual pressed and that a change in were able to uproot the self‐ details differ to the Macedonian mindset needed to happen destructive mindset and turn situation, both examples are simi‐ among each and every Macedo‐ their community into one with lar in respect to the need to over‐ nian. As a student of revolution‐ purpose. come an embedded and self‐ ary history more broadly and the destructive mindset among the American Revolution specifically, larger part of the population. The The second example is that of the it’s likely that the summation pro‐ first is that of the American civil Jewish holocaust and the creation vided by John Adams more than a rights movement led by Martin of the Israeli state. One wonders century earlier may have influ‐ Luther King Jr. African Americans whether six million Jews could enced him: had suffered for centuries under have been murdered by the Nazi slavery and even after its formal regime had they organised a large ‐scale resistance movement. Pre‐ The Revolution was in the abolition they were severely per‐ secuted. As a result, African eminent Holocaust scholar, Raul minds and hearts of the Hilberg, notes that “on a Euro‐ people; a change in their Americans suffered from what is sometimes referred to as a ‘slave pean‐wide scale the Jews had no religious sentiments, of resistance organization, no blue‐ their duties and obliga‐ mindset’, very similar to the pe‐ culiar mindset of our own people. print for armed action, no plan tions...This radical change even for psychological warfare”.¹ in the principles, opin‐ Even though they had been for‐ mally freed, many African Ameri‐ He claims this compliant attitude ions, sentiments, and was a result of centuries of Jewish affections of the people cans continued to believe they were inferior and believed that persecution: “as had been the was the real American case so many times before down Revolution. rather than having rights inherent to all human beings, they only through the centuries, simply ap‐ had privileges that were be‐ pealing to their oppressors, and complying with orders, would Over a century after Delcev’s at‐ stowed upon them by the white hopefully avoid inflaming the tempt to rid our people of this majority. situation and so mitigate the mindset, we may have formal independence in the form of a (Continued on page 36) Macedonian republic, but this In the African American experi‐

page 35 January 2014 MHR Review

(Continued from page 35) existent and rarely taken seri‐ able rights, and in some in‐ ously as the mantra of self‐ stances, actively work to suppress damage done to the Jews until interest dominates. them. the onslaught abated”.²

Self‐serving leaders in politics, A change in mindset is a long and academia, media and many com‐ arduous process. In our case, the Common to the Macedonian munity organisations are gener‐ challenges are great and it re‐ situation, the few Jewish organi‐ ally unaccountable, corrupt and mains to be seen when and sations that tried to resist the obsessed with convincing the where the process will begin. The Nazi regime understood the prob‐ general public to continue its sub‐ man that we honour as one of lem they faced. Their analysis of servient attitude to foreign dic‐ our greatest predecessors re‐ the Jewish mindset was unforgiv‐ tates for the supposed greater minds us of our condition, which ing, using the following statement good. Macedonia does not cur‐ is just as true today as it was in attempt to reverse the mass rently have committed leaders then: inertia: "Do not be led like sheep who are dedicated to the inalien‐ to slaughter".³ Unfortunately, it able rights of its people such as “Овчка главо, запомни took a catastrophe on an unimag‐ Martin Luther King Jr. It is difficult дека пред оние на кои inable scale to undo a mindset of to see how Delcev’s moral revolu‐ им должиш можноста да compliance and appeasement. In tion would come from within Ma‐ го напишеш своето име this instance, it was the Jewish cedonia. diaspora, out of the horrors of човек, треба да стоиш the holocaust, which uncompro‐ без капа и кога ги misingly led the revival move‐ On the other hand, while dias‐ псуеш” (You sheep, re‐ ment and the creation of an Is‐ pora Macedonians are largely in member that you must raeli state in which Jews could support of the Macedonian peo‐ stand before those to live free of persecution. The dias‐ ple determining their own affairs whom you owe the ability pora took direct action, using its free from foreign interests; dias‐ to call yourself a human financial resources and political pora influence within Macedonia being with your hat off, influence in ‘host’ countries and is limited. Many ‘home’ Macedo‐ even when you are cursing organised mass Jewish migration nians disingenuously dismiss the them). diaspora as unaware of their to Israel itself to achieve its goals. struggles and hardships, and their ‐ Goce Delcev principles as unachievable in Ma‐ The question remains of how a cedonia. However, fault also lies change in mindset can be accom‐ with the diaspora as many lack plished among the Macedonian the zeal of other groups, such as people – that we have inalienable the Jewish diaspora, to assist rights and why it’s important to their brethren and bring about exercise them. Can it be achieved grassroots change. internally within Macedonia or does the diaspora need to lead this process? Both options are In addition, there are obviously fraught with difficult challenges. some diaspora organisations that At a grassroots level, Macedoni‐ represent the interests of Mace‐ ans living in Macedonia are indif‐ donian political elites rather than ferent to political life and their the Macedonian nation. These rights. Concepts such as inalien‐ organisations create confusion ¹ Hilberg, R., 1961, The Destruction able rights and democratic, ac‐ and distort both the level of inter‐ of the European Jews (3 vol‐ countable and transparent gov‐ est in the International Commu‐ umes), Yale University Press, New ernance and institutions are both nity and its capacity to change the Haven. alien and meaningless. Values lot of the Macedonian people ² Ibid. such as individual responsibility who continue to believe that ³ Ibid. and obligations to community their ‘salvation’ lies in foreigners and country are almost non‐ and in multilateral organisations that fail to respect their inalien‐

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Greece during & after the Cold War in relation to the Rise and Development of the Current Macedonian Movement

By Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski Vamvakovski

Andreas Papandreou

The fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc and the collapse The 1950’s to 1980, Recuperating from the Civil of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at the begin‐ ning of the 1990’s, was a moment in time when Greece War could have established itself as a leader on the Balkan Pen‐ insula. It was the only country in the region which was part The end of the civil war in Greece (1949) brought to a of the European Union and NATO (Turkey was also a mem‐ close a lengthy period of turbulence in modern Greek his‐ ber of the latter and there are various perspectives about tory, which had a dictatorship (1936‐1940) and continuous its possible role in the Balkans), it possessed the largest military conflict from 1940‐1949. After this, it was essen‐ population, a growing economy, a strong military capacity tial to renew representative institutions, especially parlia‐ and was well positioned, geopolitically, in the Eastern mentary democracy; processes which developed very Mediterranean. Never‐the‐less, in hindsight, Greece let go slowly and above all, depended on the politicking of right of the possibility, and instead of becoming a force which wing parties and leaders whose manner of governance propelled the Balkan states toward Euro‐Atlantic institu‐ was in essence a reaction to the civil war. Other determin‐ tional integration, for certain of its neighbours, it became ing factors in the post war period included the rise of the the exact opposite. The reasons for this are numerous, in Cold War, American aid/intervention and the influence of the main however, official Athens never succeeded in free‐ the situation in Cyprus. This political context eventually led ing itself from the shackles of the past; it did not make a to a strengthening of a left wing view of the world distin‐ serious effort to let go of nationalistic positions and accept guished by a pointedly anti‐American attitude. Official certain historical realities – which required redefining state state acquiescence to this trend brought forth a politico‐ political traditions and the de‐rooting of various stereo‐ military reaction which installed a military dictatorship or types which were part of the Greek nationalist Myth. (Continued on page 38)

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(Continued from page 37) marriages and mutually agreed divorces. Likewise, official recognition was given to the communist led ELAS’s role in junta that governed Greece from 1967 to 1974. The end of the resistance movement during WWII; simultaneously the junta led to a return of Konstantinos Karamanlis to the members of the Greek Communist party, banished from political scene. He was re‐called from overseas in the hope Greece at the end of the civil war in 1949, were given per‐ that he would lead the renewal of the democratic func‐ mission to return to Greece from their Eastern Bloc exile. tioning of the state. Thus, On the other hand, the latter decision only applied to eth‐ one may note, nic Greeks, Macedonians were excluded. As the years that the went by it slowly became clear that PASOK’s politicking Greece of the was to be characterized by a populism which promised 1970’s was in much but delivered very little. This is why the beginning of numerous governance by PASOK is regarded as one of the long term ways, a copy sources of the current economic crisis in Greece. In other of Greece of words, during this period, parallel with the continuing the 1950’s. worsening of relations with its eastern neighbor, which culminated in December 1986 with a border fire incident In 1974, Cy‐ on the Maritsa river, in which one Greek and two Turkish prus was offi‐ soldiers were killed; the Greek state was facing an ever cially divided, growing debt, which compelled the government to reduce with the Turks expenditure and imports and raise taxes. So after success‐ taking control fully holding onto government for two terms, in 1989, the of around two right wing New Democracy came to power in a coalition fifths of the which included the Communist Party of Greece and the island. At this former liberal, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, became the new time a new premier. political party emerged on The end of the Cold War at the beginning of the 1990’s the political suggested a course for Greek politicking directed toward scene – the All dealing with the following issues: adaptation to the major Greek Socialist konstantinos Karamanlis transformation undergone by the former communist coun‐ Movement tries to the north; changes to the nature of the economy (PASOK), so that it could accommodate itself to European criteria which was led by Andreas Papandreou. By making good and the negative relations with its neighbours, especially use of some key opportunities, PASOK was elected to gov‐ Turkey but also the Republic of Macedonia and Albania. ernment in 1981. Anti‐Americanism and the strengthening Greece failed on all of the above, because during the of the left (the Greek Communist Party was again legal‐ 1980’s, PASOK failed to behave in a fiscally responsible ized) and of other more centrist parties, all benefitted Pa‐ manner and it failed to even attempt to change negative pandreou; there was also an economic downturn in the nationalistic traditions. This can be further highlighted via West in the 70’s as a result of the oil crisis of 1973. If we a discussion of PASOK’s treatment of Macedonians, during add the continual worsening of relations with Turkey, in‐ the 1980’s. cluding an endless verbal war over the Turkish minority in Thrace and the small Greek community in Istanbul, which along with Cyprus, created much mutual distrust and an Macedonians in Greece during the 1980’s arms race, one could foresee the approaching demise of Karamanlis’s government. The 1980’s can be characterized by what has been called national healing or reconciliation, which was the course promoted by PASOK and the other left wing parties. In The 1980’s: an Opportunity to Reform is Missed 1980 all these parties jointly proposed the introduction of a law for the free and all encompassing repatriation of In 1981 there were two very significant occurrences which political refugees. It was not accepted but it signified a affected the Greek state. Firstly Greece was permitted to major turning point – i.e. the beginning of the rise of a join the European Economic Community (ECC, which even‐ different perception of the civil war and its consequences. tually became the EU) and this had obligated the country In Greek society modernization encouraged winds of to re‐join NATO, the previous year. Secondly, PASOK came change and the rise of democratically minded elements to power, which was the first time a left wing party had among Macedonians in Aegean Macedonia and Macedoni‐ formed a government in Greece. On one side Papan‐ ans who had originally come from that part of Macedonia. dreou’s government carried out certain modernistic re‐ Jointly they provided the spark for a movement hoping for forms, like for example, the introduction of civil ceremony change in the stubborn negative viewpoints of Greek soci‐

page 38 January 2014 MHR Review

ety in relation to the Macedonian question and the role Macedonian distinctiveness. It was via their language that played by Macedonians in the Greek Civil War. Aegean Macedonians managed to resist all forceful and subtle pressures applied by the Greek authorities, in order At the same time, during the early 1980’s in Greece there to ‘assimilate’ them. In general the Greek state did not arose a tendency in favour of good neighbourly relations baulk at using any material or human resources to elimi‐ with Yugoslavia, even though at most meetings between nate Macedonianism. the delegates, the question of the problematic status of Macedonians in Greece and those Macedonians who been In a 1982 report entitled “Conspiracy against Macedonia” compelled to leave Greece, was brought up. In the end, prepared by the Greek security service, there is a recom‐ the great expectations of Macedonians who had remained mended list of mechanisms to be used by the Greek state in Greece and those exiled, remained unfulfilled. The law for the final ‘assimilation’ of Macedonians in the regions of for the repatriation of Lerin [Florina in Greek] and Voden [Edessa in Greek]. The political refugees from the Greek Civil War came into ef‐ security service recommended that the state create a spe‐ fect on the 29th of December, 1982. However, the selective cial institution to lead the battle against “Slavo‐ nature of that law would be the first thing to note about it. Macedonians” and among other things it suggested that According to that law, only those willing to declare them‐ this new institution should: provide for the settlement and selves as Greek by birth would gain the right to return. employment of ethnic Greeks in Aegean Macedonia with the aim of watering down the homogeneity of the region; The total number of political refugees from Greece the formation of cultural associations designed to spread (located in the Soviet Union, the Eastern Bloc countries Greek culture, especially by financing the publication of and Yugoslavia) numbered around 55,000. The fact that books and brochures; the introduction of measures block‐ 50,000 of them were Macedonian gives us a clear picture ing access to study in Macedonian universities; the gather‐ about the real intentions behind the so‐called historical ing up of information about all individuals who declare law for “national” reconciliation. It was simply a gesture possession of a Macedonian ethnic consciousness; the for the benefit of the Greek Communist party and a con‐ encouragement of marriages between Greek military offi‐ tinuation of the anti‐Macedonian political tradition. The cers and Macedonian women; the internal re‐settlement communist leadership very quickly forgot about their ideo‐ of leaders in the struggle for Macedonian human rights logical comrades, together with whom they had fought and the employment of Macedonians in public institutions and began to treat them as national enemies. The great which would serve to control their behavior in public. return was only for ethnic Greeks. Even short term visas were conditioned by a requirement to a declaration of Parallel with this, “scholarly” institutions were created in Greekness. Australia and the US for the purpose of blocking the spread of the Macedonian language and culture among During the 1980’s, as in the period between the two world the refugees from Aegean Macedonia. The policy that the wars, the Macedonian language was the key marker of (Continued on page 40)

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(Continued from page 39)

Macedonian language and nation do not exist is something that all Greek governments have held. Any change in the political regime merely indicated a modification in the ar‐ guments used to negate the Macedonian language and nation. This negation gained new facets and grew enor‐ mously in size, after the independence of the Republic of Macedonia, on the 8th of September 1991.

Macedonians in Greece begin to Organize Anew nal, “Moglena”.

In spite of the constant efforts of the Greek state to In 1994, with the aid of the Greek Helsinki Committee, ‘assimilate’ Macedonians, the latter began to variously MAKIVE sent a three member delegation on a visit to the manifest some more or less active forms of resistance. European Parliament. This led to the beginning of the Slowly and courageously during the 1980’s, Macedonians process of the transformation of MAKIVE into a different in Greece began to lift their heads and to publicly manifest kind of organization – a political party. Upon the delega‐ their difference. The distribution of various forms of litera‐ tion’s return, a meeting was organized in the town of Lerin ture, the singing of Macedonian songs, communication in and the political party commonly known as the Macedonian language in public places, including agita‐ “Rainbow” (Vinozhito in Macedonian) was formed. The tion, were the first forms of active resistance to Greece’s name of the party came about as a result of its coopera‐ politics of ‘assimilation’. Then in June 1990, Macedonian tion with the European minority rights party also known by activists from Aegean Macedonia, including Hristos Sidiro‐ the name “Rainbow”. The latter was formed by minorities poulos (Risto Sidov), Stavros Anastasiadis (Krste Ashlakov) from all over Europe – Catalonians, the Flemish, Basques and Andonis Siekris (Andon Shekrev), in the capital of Den‐ and others. mark, Copenhagen, called a press conference, during which they openly spoke in Macedonian and presented The party is led by a Central Council for policy formulation themselves as members of the Macedonian minority in and a Political Secretariat for the implementation of policy. Greece. As MAKIVE, Vinozhito has a collective presidency. This was done on account of a desire to avoid situations whereby the party’s functioning might be hampered by the Greek The fist organization created by Macedonians in Aegean state via the targeting of a single member of the party. In Macedonia, i.e. after the Greek Civil War, was the “Secret spite of the serious pressure applied by the state against Committee for Human Rights”. It later grew into the public the party – various diabolical provocations and very public organization called “the Macedonian Movement for Bal‐ mistreatment, including numerous bans on the party’s kan Prosperity” – MAKIVE. The foundation meeting of the political activity imposed by the High Court of Greece; Vi‐ organization took place in the village of S’botsko in the nozhito managed for the first time to participate in the Meglen region. Among its principles and action items were European parliamentary elections of 1994 and gained the following: demands for free use of the Macedonian 7,236 votes. language, in both spoken and written forms; the study of Macedonian folklore and culture in general; the introduc‐ Vinozhito makes serious efforts to advocate for the grant‐ tion of Macedonian language courses at primary and sec‐ ing of human rights to Macedonians in Greece. In all of its ondary education levels; a restoration Macedonian place activities, representatives of the party openly emphasise and personal names on official documents; granting the the distinctiveness of Macedonians in Greece and their right of Macedonian refugees to return; the annulment of right to equality, especially before conservative Greek so‐ ciety. An example of the party’s openness is an action un‐ anti‐Macedonian laws and the freedom to study and speak th freely about Macedonian history. dertaken on the 6 of September 1995, when members of the party placed a sign on the outside wall of the party’s Even though the organization could not gain official status head office in Lerin, which had the name of the party and often had to operate in secrecy, it made a significant printed on it in both Greek and Macedonian. The reaction contribution to raising the general level of resistance from the Greek authorities was immediate. The public against the official anti‐Macedonian policies of the Greek prosecutor laid charges against some of the leaders of state. In response to a directive from the organization, in Vinozhito and ordered the confiscation of the sign, which some areas, Macedonians began to openly and constantly was duly carried out – though the party stood its ground speak Macedonian. Other activities included the formation and eventually the actions of the public prosecutor came of Macedonian music groups playing only Macedonian folk to nothing and the sign was restored to its rightful place songs at public events; convincing Macedonians in some on the outside wall of the party’s headquarters. villages to pull down statues of Greek paramilitary leaders [from the Ottoman period] and the production of a jour‐ The effectiveness of the efforts of Vinozhito’s members

page 40 January 2014 MHR Review

and other Macedonians in Greece, began to increase after irregular leaflet called “Zora”, which printed articles in the creation of a Macedonians Cultural House and its re‐ both Greek and Macedonian. Later a more regular maga‐ lated activities in the form various cultural activities, such zine style publication emerged and that was called “Nova as the performance of Macedonian songs and the promo‐ Zora” and this was eventually replaced in May 2010, by tion of various Macedonian traditions. the very widely and reliably distributed (by a team of 50 volunteers) monthly newspaper called “Nova Zora”, which In 1997 Vinozhito held its first official members conference is edited by Dimitri Jovanov. Among other things, this very which elected a new leadership and created a concrete readable paper has a permanent section containing Mace‐ political program. From thence until 2000 the party oper‐ donian language lessons. ated under the name “Rainbow – European Movement”. During the course of the 8th & 9th of April in 2000, in the Since its first stirrings around 1980, the Macedonian hu‐ spirit of seeking to cooperate with other European minor‐ man rights movement in Greece has certainly come a long ity parties, Vinozhito joined a European wide democratic way; though much still remains to be done. minority rights movement called the “European Free Alli‐ ance ‐ Rainbow”, which became Vinozhito’s new name. In 2004 this movement became a European political party and Vinozhito was one of its founders. Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski Vamvakovski is a historian For much of its existence, Vinozhito has maintained an based in Skopje and wrote this retrospective, organizational publication for the purpose of spreading its specifically for the MHR Review. Translated message, as well as covering various Macedonian cultural from Macedonian by George Vlahov of the and historical themes. The party’s first publication was an AMHRC.

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page 42 January 2014 MHR Review

RELATED ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT The AMHRC and MHRMI are part of an international Macedonian network that spans Australia, North America and Europe, including: AUSTRALIAN MACEDONIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

Address Suite 106, Level 1 MHRMI & 55 Flemington Rd North Melbourne, 3051 Telephone +61 3 9329 8960 Email [email protected] AMHRC Website www.macedonianhr.org.au

MACEDONIAN HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL

Address 157 Adelaide St. West, Suite 434 Toronto, Canada M5H 4E7 Telephone 1 416 850 7125 Email [email protected] Macedonian Website www.mhrmi.org

Human Rights MACEDONIAN ALLIANCE FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION The political party of the Macedonians in Albania

Movement Website www.macedoniansinalbania.org

International EUROPEAN FREE ALLIANCE—RAINBOW

(MHRMI) has been Address Stephanou Dragoumi 11 PO Box 51, 53100 Florina/Lerin, active since 1986. Greece Telephone +30 23850 46548 Email [email protected] or The Australian [email protected] Website www.vinozito.gr

Macedonian OMO ILINDEN PIRIN

Human Rights Address Bulgaria, Blagoevgrad 2700 Zk ‘Elenovo’ bl 6 v. Bar. 6 p.k. Mechkaroovi Committee Email [email protected] (AMHRC) has been Website www.omoilindenpirin.org MACEDONIAN SOCIETY “ILINDEN” TIRANA A Macedonian cultural association in Tirana, Albania active since 1984. Website www.ilinden‐tirana.com

NOVA ZORA Both MHRMI and A pro‐Macedoniannewspaper based in Aegean Macedonia, Greece, edited by Dimitri Jovanov and with a printed circulation of 20,000 rcopies pe month AMHRC are non‐ Website novazora.gr

governmental NARODNA VOLJA A Pro‐Macedonian newspaper based in Pirin Macedonia, Bulgaria, edited organisations that by Jan Pirinski and Stojko Stojkov. The first edition was published in 1980

inform and Website www.narodnavolja.com advocate about TEAM MEMBERS combating racism and promoting MHRMI AMHRC Jovan Drenoski Treasurer Chris Angelkov Perth Representative human rights. Our Gligor Apoleski Sydney Representative Michael Georgiev Marketing Mitch Belichovski Online Management joint aspiration is to Donna Gulcev Ljubica Durlovska Review Production Designer/Assistant Editor ensure that Tomislav Jakovleski Tase Filipov Treasurer Velibor Jakovleski Ivan Hristovski New York Correspondent/Representative Macedonian Slavko Mangovski International Coordinator Jason Kambovski Communications Advisor/Executive Member Diane Kitanoski MHR Review Photographer Jimmy Mihajlov communities and Sasha Nackovski Political Liaison Officer Tonia Miovska International Coordinator Dr. Vasko Nastevski Secretary/Executive Member other excluded Bill Nicholov President Daniel Nikoloski Adelaide Representative/Online Management groups throughout Lazo Ognenov Lisa Penova Adelaide Representative/Online Management Andy Plukov Steven Petkovski Canberra Representative the world, are Dr Chris Popov Media Liaison/Executive Member Mark Opashinov Secretary Michael Radin Adelaide Representative recognised, Bill Pavlovski Public Relations Peter Sarbinov Deputy Secretary Liljana Ristova Ljupco Stefanovski Wollongong Representative respected and Silvana Talevska Vasko Tanevski Adelaide Representative Chris Terpos Marketing Manager Luby Vidinovski Vice President afforded equitable Jim Thomev Columnist for MHR Review

treatment. Johnny Tsiglev Members’ Representative page 43 David Vitkov InternationalJanuary Co ‐2014Ordinator/Executive MHR Review Member George Vlahov Editor MHR Review/Executive Member

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