Velika Popovska 64 year old woman turned away from Greek border 10th July 2012

[Risto the Great]

Australia wants nothing to do with this deprivation of human rights.
The RoMacedonia suggested she contact Serbia like good little former Yugoslavs.
The Greeks continue to persecute Macedonians.

AMHRC is providing some assistance by exploring avenues.

This is MTO Julie's mother we are talking about. If the Greeks think they have a reason for denying her entry, then we will make sure they make the reason very clear. Enough is enough with these morons.

[AMHRC]

Australia wants nothing to do with this deprivation of human rights.
The RoMacedonia suggested she contact Serbia like good little former Yugoslavs.
The Greeks continue to persecute Macedonians.

AMHRC is providing some assistance by exploring avenues.

This is MTO Julie's mother we are talking about. If the Greeks think they have a reason for denying her entry, then we will make sure they make the reason very clear. Enough is enough with these morons.

Thanks for pointing this out Risto - perhaps we should have jumped in earlier, to explain what is happening. We spoke with Julie yesterday afternoon and we have already organised for legal protests to be made on behalf of Julie's mother, inside Greece. This will be sped up once we have obtained a power of attorney.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as usual, when it is a case of the mistreatment, by Greece, of Australian citizens of Macedonian background, is refusing to lend any support what so ever.

After we have dealt with matters on the legal side inside Greece, we are intending to protest to DFAT in the sternest way possible, for its absolutely DISGUSTING lack of care.

[makedonche]

Thanks for pointing this out Risto - perhaps we should have jumped in earlier, to explain what is happening. We spoke with Julie yesterday afternoon and we have already organised for legal protests to be made on behalf of Julie's mother, inside Greece. This will be sped up once we have obtained a power of attorney.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as usual, when it is a case of the mistreatment, by Greece, of Australian citizens of Macedonian background, is refusing to lend any support what so ever.

After we have dealt with matters on the legal side inside Greece, we are intending to protest to DFAT in the sternest way possible, for its absolutely DISGUSTING lack of care.

Well done boys! It may serve as a reminder to the Australian Government that they are spending $1m every time they bail out a refugee boat off our northern shores, but can't be stuffed making a few phone calls for one of their taxpaying citizens!

[vodenka]

Australia should take better care of its citizens, not matter their ethnic background. If they get a problem entering a country, the consular office in that country should intervene for assistance. I really cannot understand how such things can happen to citizens of democratic and civilized countries.

[Perun]

The Greeks are just showing their paranoia with their extreme attitudes. Being a country in great debt, it is absolutely mindless of them to block and punish one of their main sources of wealth - tourism. I know that this is not the case, it's not tourism but "coming home", in a way, but in a country - which is not Macedonia - other people would ask themselves if a country with such nazi attitudes as Greece is worth visiting. I feel sorry for the people of Greece who can think with their own heads but are not allowed to. I really do...

[Daskalot]

Welcome to our forum Perun!
I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

[Perun]

Welcome to our forum Perun!
I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

Thank you kindly, Daskalot.

I'm really glad to be here. I'm just sorry I wasn't aware of the existence of this forum before... Oh, well... I'll just have to make up for all the lost time.

[julie]

I thank Risto for posting on my behalf, Velika Popovska is my mother, I have been unable to post until my son was able to loan me his computer, mine died at the worst possible time

My mother was born in selo Dolno Kotori Lerin in Aegean Macedonia in February 1946.
She became a naturalised Australian citizen in 1969, she travelled on an identity card to Australia in 1965 as was "without citizenship"

My mother has no political involvement or activism of any sort whatsoever, her personal choice and aversion due to the events of the civil war separating her family. She is a tiny, petite placid woman and very serene and peaceful

She borrowed against her mortgage on her home to visit her dying sister in Belgrade, and got to spend 5 days with her , until she died in her arms, which is why she flew straight into Belgrade. Bog da ja prosti teta Ratka - dete begalche

Mum is currently in Bitola staying with vujce her brother and my first cousin Mira, a doctor. Mum wanted to go to her birthplace, see the family home in ruin (thanks you fasciost prick greek gypsies), and see cousins she has not seen for a long time, and pay pilgrimage to whatever ancestral graves have not been damaged by the greeks and light candles

On late Tuesday evening I received a facebook email on my phone from my cousin Mira (being the only internet access have thanks to stupid pc packing it in) advising me mum was turned away from the border

I then tried everything I could possibly do - contact people via facebook etc and had some interesting discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Australia - seems they will not get involved in any way shape of form to assist an Australian citizen in going over the grk border....I posed a question and am YET to receive an answer, .....

"if this was a greek australian citizen refused entry into RoM, would you intervene?"

Fuck Australia and their greek ass licking bum buddies

The Australian Embassy gave me no satisfaction either...I have spent the last 48 hours pulling out my hair in helplessness

Thanks to Makedonche, who contacted the AMHRC on my behalf, received telephone call yesterday to help us,
AMHRC my mothers' words - May god bless you for trying no one else is interested, and when she returns will be donating to help, as will I whenever I receive income been without last 8 months

I called mum and spoke to her at great length yesterday afternoon . SHe was understandably upset and devastated as she will not be returning overseas again.

At the border there were RoM media - mum asked them to do a piece in their newspapers to which the yugodonians replied ......"odi isplachise na Belgrad" - go and tell your tears to Belgrade

She was advised to take out Macedonian citizenship for some stupid reason and a Macedonian passport so the EU will intervene- I strongly advised my mother not to do this, she was extremely hesitant as does not want any other citizenship other than her only one, Australian

I have been advised to get media involved, and was contacted by informator who asked for her Bitola contact details

At the border , my mother had her passport taken away. She was told she could not enter and had to sign a release document advising her she is never to go to Greece, under duress, she read it, and wanting her passport back, signed it

With Australia's ridiculous identity laws, my mother had to renew her old passport which had selo dolno kotori on it. SHe could not obtain a new passport without a birth certificate, which of course, grk never issued to her, so the circus of 5 months whilst her sister is dying in getting an aussie made up birth certificate with selo dolno kotori on it- they said she could not have katy idrussa on it (as she requested in greek knowing she may have problems) and was issued with the Macedonian name

The Australian passport office assured her if she had problems, to let them know
Well, I did that yesterday with the most colourful language under the sun when they told me they wont get involved

Vodenka , why does Australia need to get involved with Greece, why are you defending the fuckwits at the border ?

The worst thing is those assholes at the border are nashi grkomani

I pray that there may be some way mum can go in, its ludicrous considering she was allowed entry in 1971 and 1991!!!!!

[George S.]

I think why not report it to the news media in australia.Like current affairs or sixty minutes.

[Daskalot]

Thank you kindly, Daskalot.

I'm really glad to be here. I'm just sorry I wasn't aware of the existence of this forum before... Oh, well... I'll just have to make up for all the lost time.

Nema problem, how did you find us?
Живеш во Македонија или во странство?

[julie]

I think why not report it to the news media in australia.Like current affairs or sixty minutes.

because they dont give a shit
we are just Macedonian, feel free George, knock yourelf out, have spent last 2 days arguing with the Australian government and now got diagnosed with a stomach ulcer

[Perun]

Nema problem, how did you find us?
Живеш во Македонија или во странство?

I was looking for a place where our history and future can be discussed in a civilized manner with people who feel the same as me.

Цел живот живеам во Македонија. Поточно, во Охрид.

@julie - I wish you and your mother the best. May you prove the world that us Macedonians will not sit calmly in the face of injustice. My thoughts a good wishes are with you.

[julie]

Perun, bless you, and welcome to the MTO

AM not giving up, will explore every avenue available to me, she is in Macedonia until the 25 July, and even if it is one day, somehow, we will get her there

[Daskalot]

I am so sad to hear what your mother has needed to go thru.
I think she should contact her relatives in Greece and have them meet her at the border.
Greece gets away with this because to many Macedonians keep under the radar so to say. They need to start voicing themselves. The more the better, civil disobedience is the way forward.

[Phoenix]

Good luck Julie.