MHR Review 24

Issue # 24 March 2016 SSN 1839-8639

Contents MHR Review #24 published in March 2016. Designed by Ljubica Durlovska and edited by George Vlahov

The Return of the Name Issue… Again... 3 By George Vlahov 5 The Current Phase of the “Macedonian Question”: The Name Dispute By Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski-Vamvakovski 8 Alexis Tsipras and SYRIZA: The End of an Illusion By Jorgos Papadakis 10 In Response to Nikos Dimou By Pavle Voskopoulos

EFA Press Release 12 EFA Condemns Anti-Macedonian Statements of the Greek President 13 News in Brief Compiled and Summarised by Mitch Belichovski

16 32nd Annual AMHRC Dinner 17 AMHRC Press Release Anastasios Tamis: A Source of Hatred 18 Macedonian Women Writers By Michael Seraphinoff 25 A Scholarly Conference in Lerin AMHRC

26 Macedonian Media Interview with Vasko Nastevski

28 Macedonian Media Interview with Jason Kambovski

29 Macedonian Media Interview with George Vlahov 31 Images from Lerin Conference, the Litoksou Book Launch & the Annual Macedonian Festival in the Village of Ovchareni

HELLO my name is

THE RETURN OF THE NAME ISSUE… AGAIN... By George Vlahov

In the last two issues of our Review, there was an in substantial existential anxiety. In response, many, depth focus on the political chaos in the Republic of among other things, seek security and stability in Macedonia. That chaos is far from having receded romantic continuity myths - an essentialist or onto- and we shall need to return to it in future issues. In logical permanence. They convince themselves that this issue, we have decided to begin with a focus on they have an 'objective socio-historical truth', a the name "dispute", which once more, became very much sought after 'item' in a world that seems to topical during the final months of 2015. For both offer little in that regard. the uninitiated and forgetful, Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski- To some extent that is tolerable or harmless and Vamvakovski provides a succinct overview of the perhaps even necessary, but it often reaches abusive matter. levels. As a matter of course elites utilise all of that, From yours truly, the fragment which follows, is both consciously and unconsciously, to maintain an hardly the whole story, but it undoubtedly is a very ethically irresponsible control over people who are substantial part of it. The almost ceaseless change, supposed to be members of their own group, be that instability etc of modern life, at a level of economic, a nation or whatever, and all will supposedly be political and cultural intensity that pre-moderns "solved" if OTHERS are denied the right to deter- seem only very rarely to have been confronted by mine for themselves, their own identity symbols (this is debatable but arguable, though I won't at- and stories. tempt to enter into details here) creates for many, a In reality the social structures in question are very

impermanent and changeable human creations; never-the-less the illusion remains widely popular, it's a remarkable phenomenon and the unconscious pro- jecting that the larger, aggressor group, in this particular case, foists onto the smaller group, is quite arresting - as if the weaker group could actually implement "irredentism". Never mind that the only real threats of irredentism have come from the bigger group - how quickly people forget that an actual minister in the Greek government publicly stated that a town in the Republic of Macedonia, Gevgelija, "has not yet been liberated" or that it was the Greek Prem- ier, Mitsotakis, who in 1991, discussed plans with the Serbian dictator Milose- vic, for the partition of the Republic of Macedonia.  George Vlahov

WE’RE GOING DIGITAL

It is important to note that since this Review began in 2009 - how time flies - it was our practice to produce for our members, electronic and hardcopy versions. Since then, the vast majority of our members have managed to join the online world and thus we have decided to save what has become a difficult to justify, printing expense. We understand that there are still a few of our members who will experience difficulties in accessing the Review and we shall try to make ourselves as helpful as possible in order to overcome that problem.

THE CURRENT PHASE OF THE “MACEDONIAN QUESTION”: THE NAME DISPUTE By Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski-Vamvakovski

At the beginning of the 1990's, the Balkan Penin- and to transform the country into a bi-national fed- sula's "Sleeping Volcano", once again erupted. The eration. Some of the Albanians were even more ex- Yugoslav dream created at the end of WWII, treme in their demands, seeking to form a separate in the minds of many people, was coming to a very Albanian state. These problems relating to the inter- disappointing end. However, those well versed in nal stability and sovereignty of Macedonia were the history of the Balkan peninsula were aware that well noted by Macedonia's neighbours. it was only a matter of time before unresolved problems from the past, both religious and ethnic, would The Republic of Bulgaria, even though it officially rise to the surface. So it was that in a very short recognised the Republic of Macedonia, refused to amount of time, the Balkans once more became the do the same in regard to the Macedonian nation and centre of world attention. Some tried to understand language, declaring them to be essentially Bulgari- the core of the problem and find appropriate solu- an. Serbia on the other hand, refused to recognise tions, while others, sought in the first instance to the independence of the Macedonian Orthodox protect state interests in this strategically important Church. Greece however, exceeded both, it refused part of south-eastern Europe. to recognise the Macedonian state, the Macedonian nation and language, by asserting that all which is During the early phase of the Yugoslav crisis, not Macedonian - the name, the people, history and ter- much attention was given to the return of the ritory - are Greek and only Greek. "Macedonian Question" by the international community, in comparison to events in Croatia and Bos- The Name... nia. The main reasons for this were a lack of under- standing of the issues by the West and the seeming- The wave of extreme nationalism and religious radi- ly absurd nature of the disputes imposed by Mace- calism that engulfed the Balkans towards the end of donia's neighbours. the 1980's, and which, in some ways, continues to- day, also affected the Republic of Macedonia, even With the independence of the Republic of Macedo- though the intensity was not as great. According to nia on 8 September 1991, the survival of the new the American anthropologist, Loring Danforth, country was imperilled by various national ideolo- Macedonian nationalism was dominated by two gies and movements. Firstly, by certain internal fac- terms: affirmation and recognition. Danforth con- tors related to the large Albanian minority. The lat- tends that Macedonians need to affirm their exist- ter sought a substantial increase in minority rights 5 ence as a unique nation, with a reactions from Greece. The "Macedonian question", was ex- unique history and culture and by Greek government spokesman, T. plained by the editors of the that, obtain recognition from in- Manginas, publicly stated: Greek magazine, "Ios", in 2005, ternational political organisa- "Greece is not inclined to recog- in the following terms: "the man- tions, governments, academic nise the independent state which ner in which this problem was institutions and world public goes by the historical name, Mac- presented to the Greek public opinion in general. edonia." And subsequently during 1991-1992, a sort of Greece began an aggressive cam- 'national-moral upbringing', as In relation to Greek nationalist paign against the new state, on contended by the official state politicking on the "Macedonian the European stage. Official academic of the Macedonian Question", the Macedonian re- Greek state institutions, in close question, Evangelos Kofos, is sponse, which was developed cooperation with the Greek me- based on 'historically false stereo- within the context of the Yugo- dia, worked to galvanise Greek types' and 'a mix of falsified his- slav federation and heavily condi- public opinion at home and torical facts and half truths'. All tioned by the official political abroad in a hate campaign, which of this resulted in blocking the line of Belgrade, was focused on even resulted in some Greek na- development of any kind of real- gaining recognition of the Mace- tionalistic organisations calling istic politicking and hilarity on donian minority in Greece and a for military action against Mace- the part of the international com- return of citizenship and property donia. According to the Greek munity." rights for Macedonian political anthropologist Karakasidou, at refugees who left Greece around that time, there was a strong be- The Official Position of the time of the end of the Greek lief in Greek society that there Athens Civil War in 1949. Greek nation- would be a war in and for the Re- alism responded by denying the public of Macedonia. The official positions adopted by existence of a Macedonian mi- Athens towards the newly created nority in Greece, rejecting all op- The negative campaign reached Balkan state were presented by tions in relation to the repatria- the point of buttressing Greek the Greek government in the tion of Macedonian refugees and nationalist politicking with an form of a document tabled at a by accusing the Macedonian au- ethnocentrism designed to create session of the Council of Foreign thorities of "irredentism". among the general Greek public, Affairs of the European Econom- a warped view of the other. This ic Commission (EEC) on 5 De- Notably, even though Greek na- dispute about the name of the cember 1991. According to this tionalist politicking negated the Macedonia state, created by the document, in order to be recog- right of Macedonians to choose Greek state, now has numerous nised by Athens, the "Skopian their identity markers, the issue dimensions and is strongly relat- Republic" needs to fulfil three was not a top priority during the ed to the historical myths sur- conditions: 1. Change its state Yugoslav period. This was pre- rounding the creation of the name "Macedonia". 2. Declare cisely because the Macedonian Greek nation. From the beginning that it has no territorial preten- state and nation were developing these myths were utilised to justi- sions towards Greece. 3. below the surface of and seemed fy and realise the creation and "Recognise" that there is no Mac- to be subsumed by the Yugoslav territorial enlargement of the edonian minority in Greece. In state. Greek kingdom and the Greek spite of the fact that such de- nationalisation of newly acquired mands are absurd and contrary to A Campaign of Hate territories. international law, official Greek politicking subsequently began A dramatic change in Macedoni- Knowing this, aids in understand- an energetic campaign to promote an-Greek relations took place ing the length of the dispute, its positions. As Danforth wrote, during the second half of 1991 which can possess subtle varia- a primary aspect of the problem when Macedonia's citizens and tions depending on momentary is that: "the dispute between political leadership decided to conjunctures. However, the dis- Greeks and Macedonians is over exit the Yugoslav federation and pute has largely remained misun- which group has the right to in- declare Macedonia an independ- derstood by the West, which gen- dentify as Macedonian", which in ent state. Immediately upon the erally regards it as a strange turn, becomes a "dispute over declaration of the independence anachronism. The Greek nation- names, flags, history and territo- of Macedonia, there were stern alistic creation of the ry. However, in the last instance, 5 6 it is a dispute over the meaning of 1992, contained 17 points aiming Mitsotakis, Premier of Greece in the word 'Macedonia'." to "prove" that "historical right" the early 90's, authored the pref- is on the side of the Greek nation ace of the book "On the name Further to all of that, it is worth and state and that the newly inde- Macedonia" (by Teodoros quoting Evangelos Kofos from a pendent state and its population Skilakakis and published in 1992 interview with a Bulgarian are usurpers of everything related 1995). The title of that preface is: magazine. Kofos gave two argu- to the word "Macedonia". The "From the Beginning I Saw the ments for not recognising Mace- deputy Foreign Minister of Issue of Skopje in its Real Di- donia as 'Macedonia'. The first is Greece at that time, Teodoros mensions". Mitsotakis goes on to that "the new state only encom- Pangalos, declared: "We live next reveal his reasons for concern: passes part of the region of Mace- to a dangerous neighbour....their "That which disturbed me from donia" and the second is that "the flag is a provocation. The claims the beginning was not the name name Macedonia is an insepara- that you are descendents of the of this state, but rather the prob- ble element of Greek politics, Ancient Greeks flatter us, but we lem for me was to not permit the culture and national identity." beg you to find something from creation of a second minority Some months prior to that, on 18 your own territory." problem in western Macedonia ... February 1992, in Athens, then if the problem of a Slavomacedo- Greek President, Constantinos The Greek public soon became nian minority was added in west- Karamanlis, called a meeting of the object of an intensified propa- ern Macedonia, then the situation the leaders of all the major politi- ganda campaign led by state and would become untenable for cal parties in Greece - Constanti- national institutions, with the aim Greek foreign policy." So for nos Mitsotakis of New Democra- of creating fear in relation to the Mitsotakis a solution to the prob- cy, Andreas Papandreou of declaration of independence by lem involved the Republic of PASOK, Aleka Papariga of the the Republic of Macedonia, Macedonia accepting the "non- Communist Party and Maria Da- which, it was argued, would con- existence of a Slavomacedonian manaki of Sinaspizmos. At that stitute a threat to the territorial minority ... and acceeding to in- meeting a discussion took place integrity of Greece. Thus the ternational treaties to cease all for the purpose of developing a newly elected Premier, Papandre- propaganda at the expense of unified strategy on national ou, publicly stated: "That is a Greece."  needs, including the issue of means by which in the more dis- recognition of the new Macedoni- tant future, there might be created Dr. Dimitar Ljorovski- an state. a 'Macedonian' state, which Vamvakovski would include Skopje, Pirin Mac- At a second meeting held on edonia and northern Greece. Translated from Macedonian by April 13, all the political leaders That's why the question is not George Vlahov (with the exception of the Com- simply about a name. It's a ques- munist Party leader) issued a tion which hides a serious nation- communiqué which declared that al danger in the near future." Greece is prepared to recognise the new state, only if it accepts An Unofficial Minority the conditions which were laid down in December 1991 at the This political program affected above mentioned EEC meeting, the thinking of the bulk of Greek and that Greek interests make it citizens, especially in northern unacceptable for the new state to Greece, where a permamnent me- contain the word "Macedonia" in dia campaign was implemented its name. and successfully created a nation- alstic euphoria and hatred of In other words the Greeks are Greece's new northern neighbour. claiming that, for various The rhetoric eventually led to the "historical reasons", only they opening up of a long held taboo have the right to use the name. topic of discussion in Greece. Thus, for example, a propagan- That is, the negation of the exist- distic advertisement published in ence of an ethnic Macedonian the New York Times on 26 April minority in Greece. Constantine

ALEXIS TSIPRAS AND SYRIZA: THE END OF AN ILLUSION By Jorgos Papadakis

A few months ago, when asked to present my opinion about the then newly elected SYRIZA government, I was quite modest. No major breakthroughs were to be expected in resolving the absurd name issue Greece has imposed on the Republic of Macedonia, since Athens’ priorities were sig- nificantly different. No particular intentions or eagerness towards granting the Macedonians in Greece the essential human rights they had been asking for.

I was merely hoping that a small goodwill gesture might eventually lead to a slight change in the Greek attitude towards the Mace- donians and the Republic of Mac- edonia. The example I used back then was the re-opening of the border crossing Markova Noga- German that would facilitate im- proved communication between the Macedonians and others living on the shores of Lake Prespa. It would also have significant benefits for the tourism in the region since Prespa could be mar- keted as a joint product with easy access from both the Greek and the Macedonian side.

This hope was revived last summer, when I saw the Greek Min- ister of Foreign Affairs visiting Skopje. In a press conference there and when asked about the so-called “confidence building measures” he even mentioned the opening of new border crossings as one of the 11 concrete steps

8 the two countries could undertake to come closer. with the policy of “baptizing” another sovereign state to our liking but we also legitimize a criminal And then...new elections. SYRIZA and Tsipras win Nazi organization with pending trials on serious again with a very clear mandate. The same individ- crimes to participate in the political dialogue. uals stay in key ministries, so one would think that Something that would seem unthinkable even for this process would continue. With sheepish steps the Samaras government, known for its extreme anti maybe but nevertheless go on. That was until -Macedonian sentiments. Tsipras travelled to New York late September to So what do you make out of all this? A very clear attend the UN General Assembly. Leaving aside the message that nothing will change for the Macedoni- fact that he made a fool of himself (and the Greeks) ans in Greece or the relations between Greece and when he appeared at the Clinton Global Initiative the Republic of Macedonia under the SYRIZA gov- event barely speaking or even comprehending what ernment. There are plenty of reasons for such a be- Bill Clinton was saying to him, we move to the havior. First of all, we are not really talking about more important Conference against Terrorism, a leftists here but about the worst kind of illiterate high-level fringe meeting organized by the US and populists who additionally depend on the votes of its allies in an attempt to find ways to stop the ex- the Independent Greeks party (Golden Dawn's first pansion of the Islamic State. cousins) to stay in power.

Greece was of course invited. So was the Republic Then, we have the excuse of the financial and mi- of Macedonia, under its constitutional name as the grant crisis. According to Alexis Tsipras, Greece is event was under the auspices of the Obama admin- a poor but honest country that tries to cope with istration and we all know that America has recog- dignity and in a better way than Europe. Of course nized the country as Republic of Macedonia since there is no dignity involved when you beg for extra 2004. But the Greek delegation pretended that they EU funds because of the migrants or when you drag just landed on this planet. First, they demand that these poor souls all over Greece (so that everyone the Americans change the reference into the appal- can benefit from them) and then ditch them in front ling “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. of the Macedonian border. But this is a very good When the organizers refused to accommodate such excuse not to touch issues you never really intended a demand, they threatened they would not partici- to tackle. pate. And when this failed as well, they simply walked out of the conference, led by Tsipras him- Last but not least, one should always remember that self. in Greece there are no ideologies. There is no left or right, liberal or center (I can literally count the very Now, what is the difference between this move and few exceptions that prove this rule). Greece’s main similar ones performed by various Greek prime and only ideology is “Hellenism”, an abstract con- ministers from 1991 until the present? Simply none. cept that combines total negativism with inferiority Greece proved for yet another time that its only goal complexes and the constant fear of not exposing the is to sabotage and undermine, to deny and destabi- fairy tale linking modern Greeks with the past. A lize, to be destructive rather than constructive. Even dogma that was heard twice during the last month when all this comes with a high price for Greece from the Greek president Pavlopoulos: “It is self- itself, international isolation and mockery. Nothing evident and axiomatical that Macedonia is Greek”. is more “sacred” than not allowing the Republic of It is a utopia to expect that Greece might ever con- Macedonia to exist, than denying the existence of a sider to change this dogma, no matter who is in distinct Macedonian identity. charge. Axiomatically. 

But that’s not all. A few weeks later, the fascists of Jorgos Papadakis Golden Dawn reveal a letter they received from the Greek minister of Foreign Affairs (yes, the one who Jorgos Papadakis is a member of the secretariat wanted to create “confidence” between the two of EFA Rainbow/Vinozhito, a political party countries). In this letter, Nikos Kotzias kindly asks struggling for the human rights of Macedonians the descendants of Adolf Hitler as well as all other in Greece. political parties to “propose certain names (sic!) that could be acceptable” for them!

In other words we do not only continue full speed

The celebrated Greek writer, Nikos Dimou, recently made use of his pen in relation to the so-called "name dispute" between Greece and Macedonia. How- ever, his form of 'realism' will not be of much use in convincing ordinary Greeks to reflect on the need to revise their views....

Dimou described Macedonia as historically and culturally, a very 'mixed salad', but he failed to note that what became Greece in 1830, had also been and still to a certain extent remains, a 'mixed salad'. The romantic European view of the ancient city states (often erroneously referred to as 'Greece' - in ancient times there was no such country) and Russian politicking convinced the Romios (or Romans, which was a term of self-identification that was widely used in what became Greece at the time of the creation of the Greek state and for decades after) and others (a Christian salad of speakers of Alba- nian, Vlach, Slav and other languages), early in the 19th century to choose to indentify as 'Greeks' and to call their country 'Greece', even though such a Nikos Dimou phenomenon had never previously ex- isted.

Secondly, Dimou failed to mention that IN RESPONSE TO NIKOS DIMOU Greece's northern neighbour already officially possesses a prefix: 'Republic By Pavle Filipov Voskopoulos of' and therefore there is no need for it to be 're-christened' with prefixes like 'New' or 'Northern' - such an act would violate the basic right of a people to self-identify. Moreover, geographical prefixes like 'Upper' or 'Northern', may, in the long term, contribute to whetting irredentist appetites among politicians on either side of the border. As is well known, politicians seeking power can be very apt to promote such manipula- tive and megalomaniacal policies.

Thirdly, Dimou left out his narrative the pertinent fact that there exists in northern Greece a group of Greek citizens who define themselves ethnically as Macedonian and they do not use that term as an additional geographic quali- fier to a Greek national identity as Cre-

tan and other Greeks do. These citizens of Greece cuss or celebrate the ancient world....Greeks have possess a separate Macedonian ethnic identity, no right to monopolise such activity.  which the other citizens inhabiting the region, do not possess. This may cause some "confusion" be- Pavle Voskopoulos cause some of the other citizens sometimes choose to regionally identify as 'Macedonian', but when Pavle Voskopoulos is a member of the secretariat absolutely necessary they can easily be distin- of EFA Rainbow/Vinozhito, a political party guished from the ethnic Macedonians as "Pontian struggling for the human rights of Macedonians Macedonians", "Albanian Macedonians", "Vlach in Greece. Macedonians" and "Greek Macedonians" etc. It needs to be emphasised here that none of the latter Translated from Macedonian by George Vlahov. groups identify as 'Macedonian" in an ethnic sense and therefore such a means of distinguishing them is quite appropriate.

Finally, Dimou would have served his fellow Greek citizens well if he had reminded them that they have no more right than the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia or of any other country, to study, dis-

EFA CONDEMNS ANTI-MACEDONIAN STATEMENTS OF THE GREEK PRESIDENT Greece Should Finally Become a Modern European Democracy

7/10/2015 - EFA is appalled by the recent statements the footsteps of its predecessors by walking away of the Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos regard- from UN conferences only because the Republic of ing the Macedonian people and the absurd dispute Macedonia is there under its constitutional name and Greece has created over the name of another sover- by denying the mere existence of the Macedonian eign country. people.

Mr. Pavlopoulos was quoted to say that “…those EFA expresses its full solidarity to its member EFA- who doubt the Greek-ness (!) of Macedonia are Rainbow and will unconditionally support the efforts making a fool of themselves” and that “Macedonia of the Macedonians and other minorities in Greece is and will remain Greek (!)”. to finally turn this country from a monolithic unitary relict of the past into a modern European democracy. Such words of irredentism and intolerance are not  only unacceptable and completely unworthy of an EU statesman in the 21st century but they also con- The European Free Alliance – Rainbow/Vinozhito travene essential common sense. Everyone knows that there is a large number of ethnic Macedonians The European Free Alliance – Rainbow/Vinozhito is residing in the Greek part of Macedonia and that a political party of the Macedonian minority in there is an independent country called Republic of Greece. The party has offices in Florina/Lerin and Macedonia in Greece’s northern border. Edessa/Voden. For more information please visit www.vinozito.gr, or by email: [email protected] or It is very disheartening to find out that the “new” on +30 23850 46548. political establishment in Greece is closely following

NEWS IN BRIEF Compiled and Summarized by Mitch Belichovski

it was reported that May. A Kosovo judge ordered a 30 tures up to 40 degrees are expected July 6 the Croatian Presi- day detention for Osmani, while in Macedonia. Mobile healthcare dent, Grabar Kitarovic said that “the Macedonian Justice Ministry initi- points have been set up all across name issue with Greece can’t con- ates an extradition procedure. Macedonia where citizens can turn tinue to block Macedonian admit- to for medical advice on how to fol- tance to NATO and EU forever.” it was reported that low recommendations from the The statement followed an official July 9 public infrastructure, health authorities. Due to the rising visit to Croatia by Macedonian robust credit growth, improving temperatures and the increased like- President Gjorge Ivanov. The Mac- labour market conditions and strong lihood for the outbreak of food poi- edonian President spoke highly of exports continue to support growth soning, citizens are advised to thor- the support given by Croatia to the in Macedonia, said the International oughly wash produce i.e. vegetables continued integration of the Bal- Monetary Fund following its regu- and fruits, before consumption. kans. lar visit to the country. Macedo- nia’s projected annual growth of 3.2 it was reported it was reported that percent is amongst the highest in July 21 that President July 7 Jim Johnson of Bike the region. Gjorge Ivanov bestowed on Tues- Tours Direct was so moved by day evening the Order of Merit for Macedonian landscapes and culture it was reported Macedonia to emigrant associations that he worked with local outfitter July 15 that Prime Minister including the French-Macedonian Ride Macedonia to develop Nikola Gruevski held early this “Blaze Koneski”, based in Mantes-- “Discover Macedonia”, a 9 day morning a phone conversation with la-Jolie, France; Cultural and Sports guided tour involving cycling and the US Assistant Secretary of State, Association “Prespa-Birlik” from hiking. The tours highlight is the Victoria Nuland, during which she Malmo, Sweden; “Macedonian En- town of Ohrid, which is a UNESCO congratulated him on the agreement semble” from Toronto, Canada; World Heritage site and where one reached to solve the political crisis “Australian--Macedonian Theatre” of Europe’s oldest settlements was in the country, the Government’s from Sydney, Australia; and “Ohrid founded, some 5,000 years old. press service had said. Prime Min- -Social Company Naum Ohridski” ister Gruevski underscored the Gov- from Melbourne, Australia. Ad- it was reported that ernment’s commitment to pursuing dressing the laureates, Ivanov ex- July 8 the Macedonian Inte- reforms aimed at improving stand- pressed gratitude to the Diaspora rior Ministry was informed by the ards in all spheres, economic and called it to help the fatherland Kosovo police that they have arrest- growth and job creation. in this period of challenges. ed Sulejman Osmani, a member of the group of armed insurgents that it was reported it was reported tried to take over a neighbourhood July 19 that over the next July 23 that the Assistant in the town of Kumanovo in early three days, extreme high tempera- Parliament President of New South

Wales (Australia) Frederick John agreement on good neighbourly of other companies, has been frozen Nile has voiced support for Mace- relations, Telegraf.mk reads. Sever- on Monday following the decision donia's recognition under its consti- al points of the agreement are dis- of a Criminal Court judge and on tutional name and to enter the puted and Bulgaria insists on these the demand of the Prosecution Of- NATO alliance. He noted that he issues, arguing those are a condition fice. was cooperating with the Macedo- for the support Macedonia needs on nian community, especially with the its Euro-Atlantic road. One of the it was re- one in Sydney and that he has expe- controversial points is the celebra- August 18 ported that rienced a constant positive cooperation of joint historical dates, such as President Gjorge Ivanov, speaking tion with the church groups and oth- the Ilinden uprising. Bulgaria will at the ceremony to mark the Day of er kinds of organizations. probably not insist on joint celebra- the Army of the Republic of Mace- tion of state holidays. Instead, the donia, said that the continued block- it was reported countries will decide on their own ade of Macedonia's membership in July 30 that about 3,000 whether and in what form it will NATO is affecting the efficiency of apartments are built in Aerodrom invite official delegations from the the defence system. Macedonia (suburb in Skopje) each year. Ac- neighbouring country. was deemed prepared to join NATO cording to Ivica Jakimovski, mem- back in 2008, at the Bucharest Sum- ber of the Construction Chamber, it was re- mit, but due to Greek objections the net price per square meter August 10 ported that a over the name issue, the invitation stands at EUR 900. The price de- total of 39 poets from abroad will was delayed. pends on the location, the utilities, take part in the 54th edition of the expenses, revision costs and energy Struga Poetry Evenings, the re- it was re- efficiency among others. Jakimov- nowned literary festival that will August 19 ported by ski confirmed that the demand has take place between 26 and 31 Au- BIRN that on the anniversary of the risen by 30% due to convenient in- gust. Mexico will be the country in devastating Skopje earthquake in terest rates. focus for this year's Struga Poetry 1963, BIRN Macedonia published Evenings, and four Mexican poets an online interactive database it was reported will come to present their work. “Skopje 2014 Uncovered” docu- August 4 that more than "The festival will offer both the menting the new classical look of 200 facilities, private houses, state most significant and renowned in- Skopje in the past five years. The property, farmland and infrastruc- ternational poets and upcoming po- database documents and maps ture have been severely damaged by ets", festival director Mite Stefoski works built or under construction the storm that hit the Tetovo region told reporters at a press conference with the official contracts among on Monday night. All residents on Monday. other statistics regarding the project. who have suffered damages of any As of July 26, this data is available kind will receive financial aid in the it was re- to the public in Macedonian lan- amount of MKD 30,000 provided August 16 ported that guage. An English version will be by the Macedonian Government, parts of a settlement and remains of available soon. said Deputy Prime Minister Vladi- what is believed to have been a lux- mir Pesevski. urious residence or palace, dating it was re- from the 3rd-4th century BC have August 20 ported that it was reported been found at Gradiste archaeologi- the Macedonian Government has August 6 that after a cal site near northern Macedonian declared a crisis situation and de- month’s long work, a team of ar- city of Kumanovo. The results of ployed army troops along the south- chaeologists led by Dragi Mitrevski the most recent excavations are very ern and the northern border, have finished excavations on the important. As these findings point Telegraf.mk reports. The reason for palace discovered in the ancient to a connection between Kumano- this newly declared situation is the Bylazora site. The city, whose ru- vo, Skopje, Ovce Pole and South surge of migrants whose number is ins are in central Macedonia, were a Morava region i.e. they are part of growing each day. A government major centre in antiquity. The site the same civilization. crisis headquarters is to be estab- has been investigated for the past 30 lished that will be organized by the years, but extensive work has only it was re- Crisis Management Centre, which been performed for the past several August 17 ported that will be tasked with the preparation years, after the central town area OKTA has not halted the agreement of an action plan. and citadel were discovered. to supply Makpetrol with oil but has temporarily suspended the supply it was re- it was reported until the latter's bank account is put August 30 ported that August 9 that Skopje and back to normal. The account of based on trends in Turkey and Sofia are very close to reaching the Makpetrol JSC, as well as a number Greece, the UN agency for refugees

(UNHCR) predicts that the number Gazeta Wyborcza. "The migrants time frames on the implementation of newly arrived refugees in Mace- come to us from the territory of of the points contained in the Przino donia will soon rise to 3,000 a day, Greece, which has already been Agreement have been breached al- stated a joint report issued Sunday granted EUR 450 million by the ready, therefore political leaders by UN agencies in Macedonia. Ac- EU. So far, we have received only and EU Enlargement Commissioner cording to their estimates, 80 per- EUR 90,000" Ivanov noted. Hahn are facing long hours of nego- cent of those entering the country tiations. fled from the war in Syria, a factor it was that automatically qualifies them for October 1 report- it international protection. ed that the World Bank Board of October 28 Directors approved a EUR 83 mil- was reported Prime Minister Nikola it was lion IBRD loan for the Road Up- Gruevski wrote on his Twitter ac- September 8 reported grading and Development Project in count on Tuesday that Macedonian that Macedonia celebrates 24 years the Republic of Macedonia. The citizens will decide their own fu- of independence during a period of project aims to improve transport ture, right after several foreign am- political crisis, a crisis that has re- connectivity for road users along bassadors held a press-conference sulted in an agreement for organiz- Corridor 8 between Skopje and in front of the Government building early elections in April 2016. In Deve Bair and to improve the asset ing, Telegraf.mk reports. On Tues- 24 years, Macedonia has “survived” management and planning function day, several ambassadors from EU about 14 election cycles, local, par- of the Public Enterprise for State member countries, on behalf of the liamentary and presidential elec- Roads. EU and the US, demanded from tions. Kiro Gligorov, Boris Trajkov- VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM to up- ski, Branko Crvenkovski led the it was hold the Przino Agreement commit- country so far, whereas the incum- October 6 report- ments and to find a solution to the bent Macedonian President Gjorge ed that the Macedonian Diaspora political crisis. They pointed out Ivanov has won a second term, has expressed fierce disapproval of that the ruling party has a responsi- which is to end in 2019. the announcements regarding the bility to implement the reforms, possibility to deprive expatriates while SDSM should give up its in- it from the right to vote at parliamen- tention to publish wiretapped mate- September 10 was tary elections next year, rials in the future.  reported that Macedonia is consid- Telegraf.mk has learnt. Dejan ering building a fence on its border Adzijoski, a Macedonian living in Compiled and Summarised by following the example of Hungary Geneva, has sent a letter to the Mitch Belichovski to stop the large influx of migrants, SDSM president, Zoran Zaev, the Foreign Minister Nikola Popo- stressing that the Diaspora is utterly ski said in an interview with the angry by the moves his party is tak- Hungarian weekly "Figelo”. The ing these past several months. head of Macedonian Foreign Minis- try added that Macedonia is doing it the best in its power to register all October 13 the migrants. "But whenever we was reported that Israeli tour-- take seriously the requirements of operator "Arkia International" plans our European partners about what to launch a direct flight to Ohrid, should be done in an attempt to con- enabling Israeli tourists to spend trol the border and stop the people, their summer holidays in Macedo- we immediately get negative inter- nia. It is expected that two flights national reactions", Nikola Poposki would operate on a weekly basis as said. of 1 June 2016.

it it September 20 was October 19 reported that Macedonia is left to was reported that there is still no tackle migrant influx on its own. agreement on the new ministers, “Macedonia is blamed for the situa- said DUI party president Ali Ah- tion with the migrants although they meti, after the meeting with EU En- come to us from a territory of the largement Commissioner Johannes European Union”, said the country's Hahn at the EU Residence in the President Gjorge Ivanov in an inter- Skopje neighbourhood of Przino, view for the Polish newspaper Telegraf.mk reports. Almost all the

ANASTASIOS TAMIS: A SOURCE OF HATRED Melbourne, Australia— 8/4/2015

A prominent ethnic Greek com- ans. The affixation of a supplant purveyors of intolerance munity spokesman, Anastasios "Slavonic" label to the end of the like Tamis, who tarnish that com- Tamis, in an opinion piece re- name of the Macedonian lan- munity's image. There is no room cently penned for the Greek- guage, was ruled by the Australi- in multicultural Australia for Australian newspaper, Neos Kos- an judiciary, in a landmark 2000 such intolerance and we call on mos (1/4/2015*), referred to human rights case, to be an un- the wider community and politi- Macedonians as possessing a lawful violation of the Racial cal leaders to condemn it.  "pseudo-identity". The shameless Discrimination Act. use of such offensive language *http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/ appears to be part of an attempt Finally in a grubby attempt to Superficial-and-provocative- to buttress a repugnant desire to dissuade Australia's politicians Simpkins undermine respect for Macedoni- from supporting moves to recog- ans and the right of Macedonians nise the Republic of Macedonia, Established in 1984, the Australi- to maintain their identity and cul- Tamis made use of dubious popu- an Macedonian Human Rights ture in general. lation figures in order to make an Committee (AMHRC) is a non- implied voting numbers argu- governmental organisation that It seems that Tamis' bigoted out- ment. Tamis claimed "550,000" informs and advocates before in- burst came in response to calls Greeks in Australia and only ternational institutions, govern- recently made in the Australian "70,000" Macedonians (he used ments and broader communities parliament by West Australian the offensive "Macedoslavs"). about combating racism and pro- MP, Luke Simpkins, for the Aus- The official ABS census data of moting human rights. Our aspira- tralian government to show re- 2011 shows that there are only tion is to ensure that Macedonian spect for the Republic of Mace- 378,270 Greeks in Australia and communities and other excluded donia by recognising its official moreover, that there are 93,570 groups throughout the world, are name. Macedonians. recognised, respected and afforded equitable treatment. For more In his intolerant and disrespectful The Australian Macedonian Hu- information please visit rant, Tamis also made questiona- man Rights Committee deplores www.macedonianhr.org.au, email ble and in any case, irrelevant Tamis' attempt to spread hatred [email protected] or via assertions in relation to ancient/ and expresses the hope that more +61 3 9329 8960. medieval history and liberally sensible, tolerant and respectful used the offensive "Macedoslavs" members of the ethnic Greek term, in reference to Macedoni- community will find a way to 17

THE RISING TIDE OF MACEDONIAN WOMEN WRITERS By Dr. Michael Seraphinoff

It was not so very long ago that mentation from that academic gram study works of world litera- Macedonian women writers were organization that I have worked ture from a Prescribed Book List as scarce as hens’ teeth. In more with for the past 17 years. as well as works of Macedonian recent times women have begun literature from a Prescribed List to assert their rightful place as As I state in my study, as the can- of Authors of Macedonian litera- equals in the literary arts in Mac- on of literature that Macedonian ture. These lists have undergone edonia. I documented some of students read undergoes change a number of changes over the this recently in a study I did for a over time, the process and direc- years. presentation for the 9th Macedo- tion of such change can be an in- nian-North American Conference teresting subject for research. The When the program was in its on Macedonian Studies held in academically challenging diplo- formative stages in the late mid November of 2015 at the ma program of the International 1990’s, participating schools, University of Chicago. In that Baccalaureate Organization through the advice of the teachers study, entitled: “The changing (IBO.org) in secondary schools in of Macedonian literature, provid- canon of Macedonian literature the Republic of Macedonia, and ed the International Baccalaure- (as exemplified by the Prescribed in the World College system ate Organization with the initial List of Authors of the Interna- worldwide, provides one useful Prescribed Book List of authors tional Baccalaureate Diploma window into this process. The of Macedonian Literature. It in- Program)”, I drew upon docu- Macedonian students in this pro- cluded the following:

DRAMA:

КРЛЕ РИСТО ♂ XX век

ПЛЕВНЕШ ЈОРДАН ♂ ХХ век и почеток на XXI век

СТЕФАНОВСКИ ГОРАН ♂ ХХ век и почеток на XXI век

ЧАШУЛЕ КОЛЕ ♂ ХХ век

ЧЕРНОДРИНСКИ ВОЈДАН ♂ почеток на XX век

NOVELS:

АНДОНОВСКИ ВЕНКО ♂ ХХ век и почеток на XXI век

АНДРЕЕВСКИ ПЕТРЕ М ♂ ХХ век

ГEОРГИЕВСКИ ТАШКО ♂ XX век

ЈАНЕВСКИ СЛАВКО ♂ XX век

ПЕТРОВСКИ ТРАЈАН ♂ XXI век

ЧИНГО ЖИВКО ♂ ХХ век

POETRY:

АНДРЕЕВСКИ ПЕТРЕ М ♂ ХХ век

КЛЕТНИКОВ ЕФТИМ ♂ ХХ век

МИЛАДИНОВ КОНСТАНТИН ♂ XIX век

ПАВЛОВСКИ РАДОВАН ♂ ХХ век

ПРЛИЧЕВ ГРИГОР ♂ XIX век

РАЦИН КОЧО ♂ почеток на XX век

ТОДОРОВСКИ ГАНЕ ♂ ХХ век

SHORT STORIES:

ВЛАДОВА ЈАДРАНКА ♀ XX век

КОНЕСКИ БЛАЖЕ ♂ ХХ век i po~etok na XXI vek

ТОЧКО ИВАН ♂ ХХ век i po~etok na XXI vek

ЦЕПЕНКОВ МАРКО ♂ XIX век

When that initial list of authors was eventually revised in 2009, again with input from teachers from participating schools, this is what the list became:

DRAMA:

NOVELS:

POETRY:

SHORT STORIES:

When we compare the older and many male Macedonian writers, I recognize what’s happening: he the newer versions of these lists, but so few women. They looked has mentioned nuns in brown there are a number of obvious at me, as if I must be quite the habits with bluish-violet halos changes over the decade and a fool, to even ask such a question. around their heads; the monas- half of the program. The most And then they proceeded to give tery for whose construction my obvious of these is the increasing me quite the earful. How, they grandfather collected a thousand number of women authors. It has asked me, did I imagine that gold coins; the water that gurgles risen from one to five, across all Macedonian women had the time just under the bedroom; unknown genres. Jadranka Vladova, my to devote to serious writing when people with bloated faces who dear old friend and former teach- they were responsible for work stand in the garden and stare at er, was the lone female author on duties, home chores and nearly our windows when the moon is the list, in the section on short all childcare? full; the pictures one can enter stories, in 1998. By 2009 the list (even more easily than mirrors!) came to include Olivera Kjorve- As an illustration of the quality of just by stepping high into the ziroska among short story writ- the work of Macedonian women frame; travels that require only ers, Liljana Dirjan among the po- writers, let me share a version of the bluish cold darkness behind ets, Tanja Uroshevich and Lidija one of the now deceased profes- closed eyelids… Dimkovska, among the novelists, sor Jadranka Vladova’s short sto- and Zhanina Mirchevska among ries: But my father’s fabrications have the dramatists. Obviously we see never included a reference to ani- a significant change in the recog- “The Same”: mals. nition of the literary works of Macedonian women writers be- My father takes a long time to Yes, there were winged horses for tween then and now. climb the two steps. He hooks the the angels in his visions of heal- handle of his cane on his pocket, ing… And, yes! Once, returning There are, no doubt, a number of gropes for the door frame with from the street (with a thick factors that have influenced this his right hand and, hunched over sweater over his striped pajamas) change. I remember a day in the and panting, enters the kitchen. he said that exactly ten donkeys summer of 1989, when I was sit- He cautiously sits in his chair were waiting for their tailor. But ting in the office of MANU li- and with a sigh proclaims that we this was all (still) at the begin- brarian Radmila Baskic, drinking have a turtle. ning of his illness, and we took it coffee with her and several of her as a very successful joke at the female colleagues. For some rea- My mother raises her eyes, red- expense of Uncle Risto – the sad- son, it popped into my head to dened from her chopping onions, dler. ask this gathering of bright, edu- and they sharply scold him cated women, why there were so through a film of tears. So now I ask:

"What turtle?" elbow.

"Very pink," he says and calmly My mother has yelled at him inhales the smoke of the freshly many times, annoyed with this lit cigarette. "stupidity":

Without a word, in resignation "What kind of worm? What kind of my mother wipes her tears with worm?" the wrist of her right arm, and I steal a glance at my father’s And he stares at her wide pupils wrinkled, bewildered face, whose and answers dispassionately: expression prompts my second question: "White."

"Where did you see it?" But this time the scene is not re- peated. And my father whispers "In the yard," he says with that un- the reason: certain tone in his voice that so often has hinted at the nesting "It’s not so bad off. There is a lot places for the wonders similar to of greenery…" the ones found in the books I like. I often draw the wrong conclu- After a few days we adapted to sions, but at once the thought oc- my father’s new fabrication. Eve- curs to me that my father is just rybody knew there was a turtle in getting warmed up. I return to my our yard. Some mockingly asked book, thinking the appearance of questions about it. (What does it a turtle in our yard, unusual as it eat, where does it go, how does it might be, is not a miracle great sleep, where did it come from?) enough for me to put up with all Some, when my father started of my father’s asides and repeti- telling his story, just nodded their tive digressions. He will not miss heads without much concern, un- the chance of mentioning the old interested, calm, somewhat monastery, and then my mother bored, but also undoubtedly with will raise her voice: a pang of anxiety for the "poor, fragile, and gentle creature under "You and your monasteries! And the shell. And the shell, it might in our yard!" and the magic will get crushed if you happen to step evaporate, turning into an ordi- on it." nary family quarrel. For a long time my mother would My father, oblivious to all outside heave a sigh and lift her eyes, but influences, sinks into himself. He this also passed, and she started strokes his powerless stiff arm cracking jokes. The "your turtle" with the other in measured, slow from her shouted diatribes turned movements, the only remedy for into "our turtle," spoken in coy fem- the pain, strokes that stretch the inine tones of mockery to prod only thin and transparent thread her husband as if he were impo- that connects him to the ordinary tent, especially in the rare mo- world. When he opens his mouth ments when a thin smile would to say something he frightens us rearrange the network of wrin- because we expect him to start kles on his dark face. But he re- moaning. The ritual of stroking mained stubborn, even in the new his arm is always accompanied mood, and stood by his claim: We Jadranka Vladova by moaning and his "nonsense" that do have a turtle in the yard! a big worm is drilling holes in his

Our yard is truly marvelous. All magnet, pulls the dark spot from Shivering, I passed through the who enter for the first time crook the denseness of the parsley. Tap- fog that had rolled into the yard. their necks to take in the Big tap. He lowers his gaze for a But, in fact, my mother had Tree. And they wonder aloud at thread of light, fearfully staring, thrown the turtle into the garbage the female loyalty of the ivy cling- following the clumsy movements and it helplessly tried, using the ing along the entire length of the of the turtle along the pathway. five openings in its shell to turn tree. They admiringly sniff the air The guests have their backs over, to swing itself using the when they are struck by the fra- turned. I stare at it with my roundness of its back… I looked grance of the flowers, and they mouth open, and my mother, it at closely – it had a whitish, smack their lips prosaically when stepping from the kitchen and smooth underside, but with dry, their eyes eagerly nibble at the faced with the miracle on the scaly legs with sharp claws, with image of the future salad within trail, drops the platter. an awful head from which dark the frame of flowers – tomatoes, (Inevitably of salad.) little eyes glittered, pleading for cucumbers, and peppers. help. But… I couldn’t touch it I keep watching the turtle, but out because five little snakes slith- And the greatest miracles, my of the corner of my eye I catch a ered in and out of the shell’s father says, are in our yard up- glimpse of the frozen figure of my openings… side down. As if in a mirror, the father, whose gaze protectively top of the monastery bell tower, steers it into the safety of the Panting heavily, I returned that is, the Big Tree, is as deep as thick shade of okra and eggplant. through the yard, yelling to my it is high. The roots of the flowers In the kitchen, my mother is fum- mother that she had to get it out are the same as these, but even ing over the freshly sliced vegeta- IMMEDIATELY. Yawning, bare- prettier from the other side. Un- bles and whispers sharply: foot, she sauntered down the der the marble basin of the for- pathway and then returned slow- mer Turkish bath (where my "It’s not pink, you see! And I’m ly, afterwards slurping her coffee mother planted petunias) there is sure, positive, that it’s the small restlessly. After a brief question, a gurgling spring that can be turtle we brought from Vodno my father limped to the shed as if heard at night in the deep silence when you went there for a sum- under a great burden. He peered of the bedroom. No, there are no mer holiday. With the children for a long time through the crack tomatoes and peppers like these. from the kindergarten. I’m sure. in the old door and then strug- That’s right. None. Oh, the guests S-u-r-e! It has just grown up. gled down the path again to us, know how to admire the under- Nothing strange after all." even more slowly. Stammering, ground image of our yard. But he whispered that it was awful. I because of many of them, my fa- The turtle incident inspired me to should never leave him alone. He ther breaks off his story, leaving listen with new attention to my would break himself in two trying them to the munching of a salad father, who tells the old stories to help the poor pink creature. that gives them goose bumps, a with a new vitality. My mother Yes. In the beginning it looks like certain sign that only we, the observes our bond suspiciously a snake, but that should be over- privileged few, know the differ- and from time to time mumbles: looked. You have to reach in your ence between what is important "Pink turtles only exist in car- hand and turn it over, not be dis- and what is not. toons!" gusted by its shell, or afraid of its claws... Then it becomes pink. Our guests inhale the fragrant air Many days after my encounter with nostrils spread wide. My fa- with the turtle, my father woke My father died one night as I, ther, shoulders hunched, sits in me up one morning by touching whether because of a long night the chair that more than anything me with his cold, but healthy reading, or because of some pre- seems to hinder movements to hand. Disheveled, his pajamas determined fate of a person to be and from the kitchen. From there, unbuttoned, he barely leaned alone – slept deeply. where the succulence of our yard against the bed. His eyes spar- has relocated, my mother carries kling with his plea, he stammered The next day I looked in shock at dishes. that I had to save it… She had his body in the casket. The thrown it in the garbage. I had to crossed arms were now symmet- My father stares into the dis- get up. He was sorry, but the gar- rical, both immobile, with large, tance. His glance glides along the bage men would be coming. uncut, curved fingernails. The concrete pathway and, like a fine capillaries on his forehead

23 and cheeks created a bluish shad- familiar, sad eyes, pleading for ow over his hazy visage… help. I was sweating as I turned it over. I struggled as if I were lift- The sleeve of the palsied arm had ing a paralyzed man. But after I a big hole at the elbow. had turned it, pink, like a mobile My mother, noticing my gaze, bush, it disappeared into the gar- NOTE FROM whispered: den. DR. SERAPHINOFF " Moths ate our clothes." I was awakened by my own weep- ing, and the cold air flowed towards me through the open win- If any of you would But I knew the big white worm dow, rhythmically banging the like to read something had left through that hole. Now shutters. With my back breaking, altogether different by that pain was completely out of leaning over the tear-stained me, please take a look the question. dark yard, I yelled to the top of at my recently the Tree/Bell Tower: published novel, The night after the burial I "Fraanz! My father has turned available as an eBook dreamt of a huge turtle on the into a turtle."  at Amazon, under the pathway of our yard. Turned on title ADRIFT ON THE its back. With huge claws poking Jadranka Vladova, from the SALISH SEA, author through the openings for its legs. collection VODEN ZNAK. Mladen Serafimov (my It displayed its bent head. Just pseudonym). like a snake’s head. Revolting. Dr. Michael Seraphinoff But it looked at me with those

'On Macedonian Matters', Verlag Otto Sagner, Berlin & Washington, 2015.

'On Macedonian Matters' is the title of a new book edited by Professor Victor Friedman (University of Chicago) and Dr. Jim Hlavac (Monash University) that was recently released by the international academic pub- lishing house: Verlag Otto Sagner. The book contains 15 chapters written by various scholars from a variety of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. These texts emerged from discussions at an international scholarly conference which was facilitated by the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) at Monash University in 2013.

The focus is on modern Macedonian history, as the subtitle of the book indicates: From the Partition and Annexation of Macedonia in 1913 to the Present. From the publisher's blurb, we learn that a common theme run- ning through the book is a concern about the subjection of the Republic of Macedonia to "blockade politics" and an "absence of respect and recognition for Macedonian language, nationality and ethnicity".

Copies of the book may be purchased from the AMHRC website here: http://macedonianhr.org.au/contents/111

Or directly from the publisher's website, here: http://www.kubon-sagner.com/opac.html?record=6027

A SUCCESSFUL SCHOLARLY CONFERENCE IN LERIN Melbourne, Toronto & Lerin 4/8/2015

The Australian Macedonian Hu- Macedonia. The high quality of community in Australia.  man Rights Committee the delivered papers, will result in (AMHRC), the European Free an academic publication that will Established in 1984, the Australi- Alliance - Rainbow (Vinozito), prove useful in tertiary institu- an Macedonian Human Rights Macedonian Human Rights tions and beyond. Committee (AMHRC) is a non- Movement International governmental organisation that (MHRMI) in Canada, OMO The AMHRC, MHRMI and all of informs and advocates before in- "Ilinden" PIRIN, and the Europe- its co-organizers would like to ternational institutions, govern- an Free Alliance - EFA (Brussels) express their sincere gratitude to ments and broader communities were honoured to host an interna- all the speakers and attendees in about combating racism and pro- tional scholarly conference in the general, though especially to moting human rights. Our aspira- town of Lerin (Florina in Greek) those from among the Macedoni- tion is to ensure that Macedonian from 16-19 July 2015 entitled an minority in Greece. communities and other excluded Macedonia: On the Periphery groups throughout the world, are of European Modernity. Lastly, special thanks are due to recognised, respected and afford- the following sponsors of the ed equitable treatment. For more The aim of this multidisciplinary conference for their generous fi- information please visit conference was to make a sub- nancial support: Macedonian www.macedonianhr.org.au, email stantial contribution to an under- Community of WA (Inc.) (Perth, [email protected] or via standing of modern Macedonian Australia); Macedonian Orthodox +61 3 9329 8960. history from a variety of perspec- Community of Newcastle and tives, including sociological, lin- District (Newcastle, Australia); Macedonian Human Rights guistic, anthropological and polit- Macedonian Orthodox Communi- Movement International ical. An attempt by members of ty of the City of Wollongong “St (MHRMI) has been active on an ultra-nationalist Greek organi- Dimitrija Solun- human and national rights issues zation to disrupt the conference ski” (Wollongong, Australia); for Macedonians and other op- on the first day was unsuccessful. Macedonian Orthodox Communi- pressed peoples since 1986. For ty of Geelong “St John the Bap- more information: The conference, as well as the tist” (Geelong, Australia); Mace- www.mhrmi.org, twitter.com/ launch of the book The Greek donian Orthodox Community of mhrmi, facebook.com/mhrmi, Anti-Macedonian Struggle: Melbourne and Victoria [email protected], +1 416-850- Volume II (1905-1908) by (St.George, Epping); European 7125. Greek author Dimitris Lithoxou Free Alliance (Brussels) and cer- attracted the interest of Macedo- tain generous, anonymous indi- nians from a myriad of locales in viduals from the Macedonian

Васко Настевски

Настевски: За македонското прашање научно ќе дебатираме на тлото на Грција

Има уште многу прашања што годишнината од крајот на комитет за човекови права од не се доволно истражени, има Втората Балканска војна и Мелбурн, Виножито, партијата многу теми што допрва треба поделбата на Македонија со на македонското малцинство да се отвораат, има многу Букурешкиот мировен договор. во Грција и Европската други аспекти кои треба да се Како резултат на тој успешен слободна алијанса од Брисел, истражуваат во однос на настан, неодамна, од страна на за сите нивни планови во врска македонското прашање. Затоа реномираната германска со настанот во Лерин редовно и ги организираме овие научни академска издавачка куќа ги информираат грчките конференции, вели во „Верлаг Ото Сагнер” (Verlag власти. Досега никој од разговорот за МКД.мк Васко Otto Sagner) беше издадена организаторите не добиле Настевски, член на одборот на книга „За македонските никакво предупредување, Австралиско-македонскиот работи: Од поделбата на официјално или неофицијално, комитет за човекови права. Македонија до денес”. Како за можни пречки во однос на организатори на таа научна реализацијата на Настевски (43) е доктор по конференција, тогаш решивме конференцијата. правни науки, професор на годинава да ја продолжиме таа универзитетот во Мелбурн и работа со уште една таква „Сè е веќе готово. Закупен е правен советник во државната конференција, ама овојпат во хотелот, договорено е местото австралиска администрација. Лерин, во Грција. Ова на одржување на Тој е роден во Австралија, а навистина ќе биде интересно конференцијата и не гледам неговите родители по потекло да се види - истакнати светски зошто некој би правел се од Битола и Демир Хисар. научници да расправаат за проблеми. Ова е добар начин и македонското прашања во Грција да покаже дека е „Пред две години на Грција“, вели Настевски. навистина демократска држава. Универзитетот „Монаш” во Ова е академска конференција. Мелбурн, Австралија, Тој вели дека организаторите Од 16 до 19 јули во Лерин ќе организиравме научна на оваа конференција, дебатираат научници. Ќе конференција по повод 100 Австралиско-македонскиот пристигнат научници од цел

свет, тука има и грчки Универзитетот на Солун политички аспект, велат професори. Не сакаме да (Грција), Џорџ Влахов од „Ла организаторите и додаваат дека даваме никаква политичка троб за две години ќе организираат обоеност. Во Лерин водечките универзитетот” (Австралија), уште една, трета таква научна македонисти од цел свет ќе Васко Настевски од конференција. расправаат за македонското Универзитетот на Мелбурн Конференцијата во Лерин ќе прашање. Овој настан се смета (Австралија), Катерина заврши на 19 јули кога за историски затоа што за Колозова од Институтот за истакнатите академски имиња првпат во поновата историја за социјални и хуманистички и претставници од Европскиот македонското прашање ќе биде науки, Марија Пандевска и Парламент за првпат ќе имаат дискутирано на научно ниво, Македонка Митрева од можност да присуствуваат на токму на тлото на соседна Институтот за национална традиционалниот македонски Грција, каде што е и историја при УКИМ културен фестивал „Илинден” најпроблематизирано“, вели (Македонија). во село Овчарани, Грција.  Настевски. Овој мултидисциплинарен Учесници на конференцијата настан има за цел да даде А.Д. ќе бидат Виктор Фридман од суштински придонес кон Универзитетот на Чикаго разбирањето на современата 15/7/2015 MKD Извор: http:// (САД), Грејс Филдер од македонска национална www.mkd.mk/makedonija/ Универзитетот на Аризона историја од различни dijaspora/nastevski-za- (САД), Ендру Росос од академски перспективи, makedonskoto-prashanje- Универзитетот на Торонто вклучувајќи социолошки, nauchno-kje-debatirame-na-tloto- (Канада), Акис Гаврилидис од лингвистички, антрополошки и na-grcija

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IMAGES FROM THE LERIN CONFERENCE, LITOKSOU BOOK LAUNCH & THE ANNUAL MACEDONIAN FESTIVAL IN THE VILLAGE OF OVCHARENI Special thanks to John Vidovich for the photos

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

Address GPO Box 2800 MHRMI & Melbourne, 3001 Australia Email [email protected] AMHRC Website www.macedonianhr.org.au

MACEDONIAN HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL (MHRMI)

Address 157 Adelaide St. West, Suite 434 Toronto, Canada M5H 4E7 Macedonian Telephone 1 416 850 7125 Email [email protected] Human Rights Website www.mhrmi.org MACEDONIAN ALLIANCE FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION Movement The political party of the Macedonians in Albania

International Website www.macedoniansinalbania.org EUROPEAN FREE ALLIANCE—RAINBOW (MHRMI) has Address Stephanou Dragoumi 11 been active since PO Box 51, 53100 Florina/Lerin, Greece Telephone +30 23850 46548 1986. The Email [email protected] or [email protected] Australian Website www.vinozito.gr OMO ILINDEN PIRIN Macedonian Address Bulgaria, Blagoevgrad 2700 Human Rights Zk ‘Elenovo’ bl 6 v. Bar. 6 p.k. Mechkaroovi Email [email protected] Committee Website www.omoilindenpirin.org

(AMHRC) has MACEDONIAN SOCIETY “ILINDEN” TIRANA A Macedonian cultural association in Tirana, Albania been active since 1984. Website www.ilinden-tirana.com NOVA ZORA A pro-Macedoniannewspaper based in Aegean Macedonia, Greece, edited by Dimitri Jovanov and with a printed circulation of 20,000 copies per month Both MHRMI and Website novazora.gr

AMHRC are non- NARODNA VOLJA governmental A Pro-Macedonian newspaper based in Pirin Macedonia, Bulgaria, edited by Jan Pirinski and Stojko Stojkov. The first edition was published in 1980

organisations that Website www.narodnavolja.com inform and advocate about TEAM MEMBERS combating racism and promoting MHRMI AMHRC Jovan Drenoski, Treasurer Chris Angelkov, Perth Representative human rights. Our Michael Georgiev, Marketing Gligor Apoleski, Sydney Representative Donna Gulcev Ljubica Durlovska, Review Production Designer/Assistant Editor joint aspiration is to Tomislav Jakovleski Tase Filipov, Treasurer Velibor Jakovleski Ivan Hristovski, New York Correspondent/Representative ensure that Slavko Mangovski, International Coordinator Jason Kambovski, Communications Advisor/Executive Member Macedonian Jimmy Mihajlov Diane Kitanoski, MHR Review Photographer Tonia Miovska, International Coordinator Sasha Nackovski, Political Liaison Officer communities and Bill Nicholov, President Dr. Vasko Nastevski, Secretary/Executive Member Lazo Ognenov Daniel Nikoloski , Adelaide Representative/Online Management other excluded Andy Plukov Lisa Penova, Adelaide Representative/Online Management Mark Opashinov, Secretary Steven Petkovski, Canberra Representative groups throughout Bill Pavlovski, Public Relations Dr Chris Popov, Media Liaison/Executive Member Liljana Ristova Michael Radin, Adelaide Representative the world, are Silvana Talevska Peter Sarbinov, Deputy Secretary recognised, Luby Vidinovski, Vice President Vasko Tanevski, Adelaide Representative Chris Terpos, Marketing Manager respected and Jim Thomev, Columnist for MHR Review John Tsiglev, Members’ Representative afforded equitable David Vitkov, International Co-Ordinator/Executive Member treatment. George Vlahov, Editor MHR Review/Executive Member 3637