Less humiliation in the Republic of Macedonia

[Risto the Great]

The battle over the Macedonian identity is being fought all over the world - in Macedonia they don't have to deal with the humiliating and derogatory language being used against Macedonians in the West.

Pelister mentioned the above quote to me.
It did not occur to me quite so vividly but he is very right about the fact that Macedonians from the Republic do not have to listen to this trash talk in their everyday lives. These abuses of rights are usually the concerns of older people and those who bother reading the small print in their newspapers.

If the Macedonians of the Republic had to endure on a daily basis what drivel we have to put up with in Australia (for example) ... I suspect they would be suicide bombing in Greece by now.

Do any Macedonians from the Republic have any comments in relation to this. I have always admired their deep sense of self-identification and wondered how they do not even question anything about their identities ... it is so "matter of fact" .... then it occurred to me much later in life that they never had been denied the right to their identity like we in the West have.

[Jankovska]

I am not so sure guys. While Pelister is right we have to see the bigger picture here. People in the Republic are the people who stayed there, through the bad and good, full stop. They watch the news on how their country is not recognized, how it receives threats by Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, threats that are directed at the country they live in not just the country they love. Macedonians from the Republic for some 200 euros wage have to drive to Greece, be humiliated in ways you never be in a western country, be asked to clean the border or take the car plates off, or scratch the flag.... if someone came to you in OZ and asked you to do so what would you do? Kick their arse and than get them in trouble with the law. But these people have to do it because they have to put bread on the table. Same as the people who are humiliated on the Bulgarian border but they still have to 'sverc' stuff to feed their families. And when they manage to save for a yearly holiday they can not go far because their country is not accepted anywhere. The news are just depressing, high bills, no work and constant threats.
Yes we are beeing maybe humiliated but we are not. Us in the Diaspora have come so far to be heared because we live in a bit of a comfort in that sense. I can go and preach to all Macedonians in RoM how their name is sacred, they have to fight for it no matter what blah blah blah but than I take my pretty red British passport and get paid on the 25th and go on holiday somewhere just because I feel a bit down and no on stops me. Last time I went to Macedonia talking to close people of mine going on about how we should be ready to die for our name if we have to and don't need this and that blah blah they usual shit someone from the Diaspora has to say and a very dear person of mine turned around and saiid: Ok, why don't you come back? I mean you are ready to die for Macedonia but you are not ready to come and live in Macedonia. Patriotic my arse and you know what he is right. All we do is preach but no one wants to live their comfortable lifes in OZ or the UK or Toronto and live in Macedonia, try and make it there. That's all we ever do, just talk. How you don't need to take a gun to defend a country this that and the other but we actually don't do anything for the country. We have UMD and a zillion Macedonians who just are good at talking the talk. Maybe this close person of mine is right: Go live back home. Invest your hard earned money in the country you love or simply give them to the country and people. Albanians do it, why shouldn't our Diaspora. People in RoM have every right to be pissed off with the Diaspora, we have moved decades ago but still dictate how they should live. Bullshit.

[Daskalot]

Jankovska, see it this way, without us in the Diaspora there would be no debate, we have the economical and other means not available to the ordinary Macedonian in Macedonia to voice our voices. Both sides of the coin are needed, we do our part they do theirs. Without either of us there would be no Macedonia.

How would we otherwise get the documents that we gather thru out the "Western" world? How else would we be noted in books and immigration records, it is thanks to this that we are recorded in history, and these documents are worth their weight in gold, when your nemesis claims you were invented by Tito.

You see, we are both needed for Macedonia.

[Jankovska]

I am in no way saying that we are not doing our part, I am saying that we don't have it tougher than the people back home. It's a fact.

[Daskalot]

I am in no way saying that we are not doing our part, I am saying that we don't have it tougher than the people back home. It's a fact.

That is true, but thanks to this "comfort" of life we are able to concentrate on other things then to get bread on the table, we can lobby news media, governments and so forth, things that are not accessible to the ordinary Macedonian in Macedonia, we are in a way the Macedonian intelligentsia abroad, our part is very important for the outcome of this dispute.

We lobby the world, for our cause.

[Jankovska]

Once again I am not saying that we are not doing our bit but i bet most Macedonians will want to swap with us and do what we do. My point is about the life back home and it's not as glorious as it gets represented. People need basic things for survival and go through hell to obtain that. Talk about humiliation. I am in no was saying that our work is not important, I am saying that most Macedonians would like to have the bread secured and sit in front of the pc's or go on demonstrations. It's impoirtant but it's not more important from staying in the country and keeping it safe. As I said most will be prepared to swap lifes for a western life but the question is how many of the diaspora are prepared to go back?

[osiris]

i wonder how most macedonians in the republic would feel if tomorrow they had to be called dardanians and in 10 years they would join the eec and maybe be able to work in the lowly paid service industries of western europe to get by.

[Jankovska]

i wonder how most macedonians in the republic would feel if tomorrow they had to be called dardanians and in 10 years they would join the eec and maybe be able to work in the lowly paid service industries of western europe to get by.

Most of them. Our men work in Crna Gora for 400 euros wage, most of them work 12 hour building work, like slaves and get enough to feed their families but that's it. So many complaints there are now about working and not actually getting paid. However I ask how many of you are prepared to work every day but not get paid for months?

[osiris]

you are right jankovska we do not know the hardships faced by our people in macedonia.

[Jankovska]

you are right jankovska we do not know the hardships faced by our people in macedonia.

I did not say that. Of course you did face lots of hardships. We are however talking about now and at present they do suffer more than we do. Life is hard back home guys, it's reality. People are angry and bitter and they are not even sure who at/We all have our best intentions at heart when it comes to Macedonia, I know that. I just also know that times are very hard for Macedonians in RoM and I am scared they will get harder. Reality sucks big time but we have to face it.

[Risto the Great]

Jankovska, you are right. They suffer economically over there, but they have no idea what is done on the West with our identity. If someone tells you that you are Martian, you would not believe it ... especially when looking around you, you are with Macedonians in a country called Macedonia. The RoMacedonians might not be acutely aware of what will happen if their name is taken away from them because it almost seems impossible to them. Is that a reasonable statement? Whilst I have been there many times, your opinion is appreciated.

[Venom]

Spot on Risto. Especially with Yugoslavia STILL fresh in some of their minds, they don't see the big deal. Things will not improve economically at all if we sell our name though and that is something that some people cannot understand.

[Royal Hellas]

If the RoM does not enter EU/Nato it will be a disaster for it's citizens.

[Daskalot]

If the RoM does not enter EU/Nato it will be a disaster for it's citizens.

Do you really think it can get worse than what it was back in th 1990s when you put an embargo on us...... you see the people in Macedonia are on rock bottom, you on the other hand are not, from the bottom you can always go up.... you can fall down, see the difference.

[Royal Hellas]

Ah, so you would like us to join you, or would you like to join us?