Friend or Foe

The Macedonian Truth Organisation Inc. (MTO Inc.) has expressed its condemnation of the recent comments made by the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who warned Macedonia that unless it changes its official name to an alternative that is acceptable to Greece, it will not progress any further on its path to European integration.

Clinton made the comments while visiting Greece to discuss the dispute with Macedonia and the current debt crisis. However, she did not visit Macedonia nor meet with any Macedonian representatives. “This is a clear example of how the current US Government is negating the sovereignty of the Macedonian state and sidelining its concerns”, remarked Nikola Jovanovski, President of the MTO Inc. “The US already recognises Macedonia by its official name”, continued Jovanovski, “which makes this recent statement all the more ironic and hypocritical.”

The MTO Inc. strongly advises the US Government to stand by its own principles stemming from natural law and those of the United Nations Charter by respecting the sovereignty of Macedonia and its right to self-determination. The MTO Inc. also urges the US Government to assist Greece in meeting its obligations to secure the human rights of Macedonians living within its borders.

Furthermore, the MTO Inc. demands that the Macedonian Government appropriately address the unfortunate comments made by Clinton, and demonstrate solidarity with the Macedonian people by representing their interests more assertively, rather than allowing external elements to dictate a compromise on their national sovereignty and historical identity.