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

[Risto the Great]

Velika Popovska, from Adelaide Australia, 64 year old woman born in selo Dolno Kotori, Aegean Macedonia was turned away from the Greek border 10th July 2012. She was not allowed entry to see her ancestral homeland and relatives in Greece.

This woman is not an enemy of Greece. She is best described as a "tourist" and we are seeing an alarming trend in Greece in recent times. Are they really scared of the older generation of Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia still?

This is both infuriating and disgusting.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Risto the Great

Velika Popovska, 64 year old woman born in selo Dolno Kotori, Aegean Macedonia was turned away from the Greek border 10th July 2012. She was not allowed entry to see her ancestral homeland and relatives in Greece.

This woman is not an enemy of Greece. She is best described as a "tourist" and we are seeing an alarming trend in Greece in recent times. Are they really scared of the older generation of Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia still?

This is both infuriating and disgusting.

It happens all the time Risto, regardless what all these dickhead 'greek' apologists on this forum say...it even happens to people travelling with Australian passports...

[vodenka]

Originally Posted by Risto the Great

Velika Popovska, 64 year old woman born in selo Dolno Kotori, Aegean Macedonia was turned away from the Greek border 10th July 2012. She was not allowed entry to see her ancestral homeland and relatives in Greece.

This woman is not an enemy of Greece. She is best described as a "tourist" and we are seeing an alarming trend in Greece in recent times. Are they really scared of the older generation of Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia still?

This is both infuriating and disgusting.

There is no legal reason why she was not allowed entry in Greece, with no recent court verdict that prohibits her to do so.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by vodenka

There is no legal reason why she was not allowed entry in Greece, with no recent court verdict that prohibits her to do so.

vodenka, since when have "legal reasons" been the excuse for those dogs...sadly many 'greek' border officials are actually sellout 'nashi'...

[Daskalot]

Originally Posted by Risto the Great

Velika Popovska, from Adelaide Australia, 64 year old woman born in selo Dolno Kotori, Aegean Macedonia was turned away from the Greek border 10th July 2012. She was not allowed entry to see her ancestral homeland and relatives in Greece.

This woman is not an enemy of Greece. She is best described as a "tourist" and we are seeing an alarming trend in Greece in recent times. Are they really scared of the older generation of Macedonians from Aegean Macedonia still?

This is both infuriating and disgusting.

This seriously needs to be televised, bring a crew of journalists to the border crossing so they can document what happens, why is this not done?
German journalists would love this.
We need to reach out to the international news media, the world needs to know this!

[Daskalot]

Originally Posted by vodenka

There is no legal reason why she was not allowed entry in Greece, with no recent court verdict that prohibits her to do so.

You are in the perfect position to use this opportunity to your advantage, contact media so it gets media coverage.
Media is your friend.

[Zakynthian]

@Daskalot

Greek side of the border is a millitary zone, no journalists allowed to practice their profession there unless they have a license from the 3rd corps of hellenic army to do this. any journalistic material found can be seized anytime.
German journalists have their own skeletons in their closets regarding ethnic minorities (upper lusatia sorbs, bavarian bohemians etc.) which are not constitutionaly recognized, I'm afraid they won't react (however, an invitation is worth)
If there is no legal reason (for example: persona non grata or invalid travel documents) the lady can contact the GHM, PObox 51393, GR 14510 Kifissia/Athens and denounce the incident.

[George S.]

No excuse for this treatment at all.I remember tourisrsts from perth had their passporst ripped up because place of birth was abbreviated mk or whatever the border people spat on the passports screwed them up threw them away.These were australian passports.

[vodenka]

If the lady is a Macedonian citizen, the Macedonian Foreign Office should immediately protest to the Greek government through the consular office in Skopje. Good neighbouring relations cannot be one way claim and illegal practices by Greece must be stopped. This is a political choice by Greece to create problems to Macedonian citizens travelling to Greece because this serves the greek political system to keep on the "enemy" issue with Macedonia for their petty internal political agenda. Enough is enough!

[George S.]

if it gets reported to the media prople will stop visiting.