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Something you won't see in the ICG
August 15th, ethnic Macedonians were celebrating the 'Assumption of Mary' a religious holiday celebrated for decades in most of Aegean Macedonia.
Greek authorities employed tactics already seen in Ovcarani 20 years ago when it volunteered to organize a Macedonian celebration in Nered, an ethnic Macedonian village populated exlusively by Macedonians 10km away from Lerin.
The Greek authorities and police structures allowed bands (for the first time) to play and sing Macedonian songs. The goal of the Greek authorities was to create tensions among ethnic Macedonians and to ruin the celebration planned weeks ago at the local stadium, organized by Nered's Cultural Society.
This way Nered had two Macedonian celebrations, one of course sponsored by the authorities at the city square. The two events caused tensions among Macedonians, with the ones going to the Stadium calling the others 'traitors' for going to the celebration organized by Greek authorities (free food?).
"The celebration organized by the police and the authorities was at the square. They were singing Macedonian songs, however they were also forced to request Greek songs and Vlach songs. The idea was to portray this 'multi-ethnic' character of the area, even though only Macedonians live here", says a Macedonian who visited both celebrations.
This has happened before. Years ago, Greek authorities paid pro-Greek Macedonians in Ovcarani to form a parallel cultural society to the one already in existence. There as well were parallel Macedonian celebrations, as the one organized in Nered. At the time pro Greek Macedonians were hired and placed in high positions at the Electric company. Greek authorities tasked these Macedonians to recruit the 'other' Macedonians by offering them employment.
The same scenario is currently employed in Nered.
Greece is using the good ol tactics of 'Divide and Conquer'. Perhaps Athens is trying to create their new Karamanlis, whose mother was ethnic Macedonian and father of Turkish heritage.
August 15th, ethnic Macedonians were celebrating the 'Assumption of Mary' a religious holiday celebrated for decades in most of Aegean Macedonia.
Greek authorities employed tactics already seen in Ovcarani 20 years ago when it volunteered to organize a Macedonian celebration in Nered, an ethnic Macedonian village populated exlusively by Macedonians 10km away from Lerin.
The Greek authorities and police structures allowed bands (for the first time) to play and sing Macedonian songs. The goal of the Greek authorities was to create tensions among ethnic Macedonians and to ruin the celebration planned weeks ago at the local stadium, organized by Nered's Cultural Society.
This way Nered had two Macedonian celebrations, one of course sponsored by the authorities at the city square. The two events caused tensions among Macedonians, with the ones going to the Stadium calling the others 'traitors' for going to the celebration organized by Greek authorities (free food?).
"The celebration organized by the police and the authorities was at the square. They were singing Macedonian songs, however they were also forced to request Greek songs and Vlach songs. The idea was to portray this 'multi-ethnic' character of the area, even though only Macedonians live here", says a Macedonian who visited both celebrations.
This has happened before. Years ago, Greek authorities paid pro-Greek Macedonians in Ovcarani to form a parallel cultural society to the one already in existence. There as well were parallel Macedonian celebrations, as the one organized in Nered. At the time pro Greek Macedonians were hired and placed in high positions at the Electric company. Greek authorities tasked these Macedonians to recruit the 'other' Macedonians by offering them employment.
The same scenario is currently employed in Nered.
Greece is using the good ol tactics of 'Divide and Conquer'. Perhaps Athens is trying to create their new Karamanlis, whose mother was ethnic Macedonian and father of Turkish heritage.
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