World Macedonian Diaspora

[Makedonska_Kafana]

FM Milososki: Papoulias statement reminds of old-fashioned nationalism

Skopje, 18 November 2010 (MIA) - The statement of Greek President Karolos Papoulias given during his visit to Sofia that 'the door of NATO will remain closed and accession procedure towards the EU will be frozen, as long as Skopje insists on the intransigent position on name issue' reminds of an old-fashioned nationalism, assessed Thursday Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki.

"I believe the Macedonian-Greek dialogue should resume despite the fact we are hearing Greek statements that often remind of old-fashioned nationalism. The only question I would ask the Greek President is if he is the same person who signed the Interim Treaty in the capacity of Foreign Minister in September 1995. If there is an answer to that question and the relevance and validity of that document, then we can refer to the credibility of statements by Greek officials", said FM Milososki after planting seedlings with the diplomatic corps in Skopje.

According to him, political and diplomatic pressure by the Greek side is expected to resume, which is not unexpected, since it has been present with different amplitudes since 1992.

"However, the fact that the Republic of Macedonia is recognized by 129 countries under its constitutional name, along with the wide-range media use, is sufficient when assessing arguments of one or the other side", stated Milososki.

Pertaining to possible actions against Macedonian diplomats in New York following the case of erasing the Macedonian language from the UN register, Milososki said UN SG Ban Ki-moon explained it had been an unauthorized intervention in the country's ID.

"There has been proper coordination between the Macedonian Mission to the UN and the administration and cabinet of the UN chief. I believe that we should be grateful, in a way, to those who wanted to harm the Macedonian national identity, since this case has strengthened it even more. I see this as enhancement of our position after the words of the UN Secretary-General regarding national traits, including the Macedonian language", stressed FM Milososki.

He said the invitation sent to mediator Nimetz for a visit to Macedonia was a message of openness for cooperation.

"The process should resume. Our messages are ones of openness for cooperation and resumption of the Macedonia-Greece dialogue. If the other side is ready, it will favor the process. Dialogue and mutual talks can bring us closer on certain issues", underlined Milososki. ik/fd/13:43

[Makedonska_Kafana]

Is history of a people important?

By Risto Stefov
[email protected]
November 21, 2010

There are people out there, Macedonians included among them, who believe that history is not important for people to carry on with their lives; so why would it be important for countries?

Perhaps you are right if you are secure in your life and never have to answer any questions, go anywhere, or do anything. But the moment you start looking for a job or want to apply for a passport or want to cross a border into another country you will find that history is important. A resumé defines your past experience which is part of your academic and working history. A passport identifies you by your name, place of birth, etc., which are also part of your history and so on.

Like a person, a country too is an entity with its own characteristics; name, location, geography and history. A country, like a person, cannot exist without history unless it was just created today. Even if that were the case, it must have been created from something which in itself has a past, a history.

Before getting deeper into our subject, for those who still believe that history is not a requirement for a country to exist and function normally, why do you suppose so many countries have invested so much in writing their history? If history is not important why do you think the Greeks have invested so much effort in writing and defending their history? If history is not important why then do the Greeks so pompously use history to deny Macedonia and the Macedonian people their right of existence?

History is important, very important to a country more so than to a person, and I am not talking here about a “national myth” type of history like the Greeks have developed for themselves but a collective memory of a people that includes as much as possible of their experience. Some of it, like what happened in Neolithic times, may have to be extrapolated but nonetheless must be based on available factual information and not purely based on embellished myths.

Then how do a people like the Macedonians know their history, which has roots extending many millenniums back before their own lives?

Well, as events take place nowadays they are recorded and with the passing of time are summarized and kept in libraries. In earlier times important information was passed on orally from generation to generation, some being incorporated into songs, poems, odes, stories, parables, etc., so that it could be easier memorized and passed on.

To properly construct history, corroborating information from as many sources as possible must be obtained. One such source might be data collected from analyzing material finds like tombs, artifacts, relics and inscriptions; the type of information that can be derived from archeological research. Another source might be a body of literature derived from stories, legends, myths, folklore, poems, songs, etc., passed down from generation to generation. Other sources may include linguistic analysis, anthropology and nowadays the study of genetics.

Since the emergence of the Republic of Macedonia in the 1990’s, research in the field of archeology has increased dramatically, which will serve as a new source of information or as a corroborating source of information for the Macedonian peoples’ history. Also, new Macedonian literature and publications are slowly emerging and in time will provide more sources to validate the Macedonian peoples’ history.

I am often asked by my readers “are we Macedonians descendents of the Slavs” or “are we descendents of the ancient Macedonians”?

The simplest answer I can give you is that we are who we are, a product of our environment! We are a little bit of everyone who set foot in Macedonia ! Unlike the Greeks who pretend to be direct descendents of the ancient Greeks, we are the sum of all people, whoever they may have been, who ventured into and remained in Macedonia .

Yes, we are the descendents of the ancient Macedonians and yes we are the descendents of all the other people who settled in Macedonia . But for the life of me, how can we be “Slavs” the descendents of something based on linguistics? The word “Slav” is a reference to a person who speaks a dialect of the Slavic language. This includes all the different people numbering in the hundreds of millions living from the bottom of the Balkans all the way to the top of Siberia .

Saying that Macedonians are “Slavs” is the same as saying everyone who speaks “English”, numbering perhaps over a billion people worldwide, are English! Is that even possible? Is England , a small Island in the Atlantic Ocean , even capable of producing such a vast population in a span of only two to three centuries since it became an empire?

Sorry to disappoint you but only the English from England are English. The rest of us who speak English are not English at all! But we are definitely English speakers! We Macedonians admit that we are “Slav speakers” but you will find it difficult to convince many of us that because we speak a Slavic language we are somehow “ethnic Slavs” related to the Inuit of Siberia who also happen to speak a Slavic language!

I have heard many Macedonian stories that say Macedonians are the “children” of Alexander the Great but have yet to hear a single story that claims we are “ethnic Slavs” and have come from somewhere outside of Macedonia! There is no folklore that I know of that claims we Macedonians are not indigenous to Macedonia and that we come from somewhere else! Only our enemies make such claims!

Yes, Macedonians have referred to themselves as “Slavs” instead of “Slav speakers” and yes, believing our neighbours’ propaganda, some Macedonians have erroneously referred to themselves as “Slavs” in an ethnic sense. But this is most probably because some Macedonians don’t know their own history! This is yet another reason why history or knowledge of one’s own history is so important! If we don’t know our own history then how can we claim to be who we are? Most importantly, if we don’t know our own history how can we prevent others from expropriating it, from stealing it from under us?

Macedonian history does not begin with the ancient Macedonians or with the so-called phantom “Slavs” showing up in Macedonia in the 6th century AD. Macedonia and the Macedonian people have a much deeper and wider history that spans from the time people set foot on that part of our planet to today. But there are only a few periods of Macedonia’s history that are remarkable and most memorable for the Macedonian people and those periods took place when the Macedonians themselves were masters of their own destiny and their own country. The most remarkable and therefore most memorable of all time was the ancient era (about 800 BC to 168 BC) when Macedonians were the rulers of Macedonia .

During those times Macedonians not only had a great country of their own, but they expanded it into an Empire that spanned over three continents and lasted three centuries. So yes, modern Macedonians do have something to identify with and yes ancient Macedonia and the ancient Macedonians are a part of the modern Macedonian heritage which belongs to every Macedonian alive today.

Is history important to Macedonia and the Macedonian people? I would say YES! In fact, in view of what Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Albania are doing to Macedonia today with all their blackmail and denials, I would say history for Macedonia and the Macedonian people today is far more important than ever before! History contains clues and evidence necessary to not only define who the Macedonians are but to also expose the crimes committed against the Macedonian people by their neighbours and their patrons!

We had a Macedonian National Rebellion taking place in 1903 with aims of creating a Macedonian state and ten years later in 1913 we have Greece , Serbia and Bulgaria snatching Macedonia out of the Macedonian peoples’ hands.

Had Macedonian authorities paid a bit more attention to history they would have avoided entering the so-called “name negotiations” with Greece because they would have known that Macedonia never belonged to Greece . They would have also known by what means Greece acquired Macedonian territories and would have pointed that out to the world. Perhaps these Macedonians too thought history did not matter and was not important enough to bring it up at the negotiation table.

If we continue to ignore history we will continue to make mistakes, something we cannot afford to do.

Other articles by Risto Stefov:

http://www.maknews.com/html/articles.html#stefov

http://www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3446

Free electronic books by Risto Stefov available at:

http://www.makedonskakafana.com/ebooks.html

Our Name is Macedonia

https://www.mhrmi.org/our_name_is_macedonia

[Makedonska_Kafana]

This is very well written article and the parts about history is so true.

AFAIK, transforming the name of a branch of languages aka "Slav" to an ethnicity started with the Russian manipulations in Bulgaria after 1860s. They tried to give an ethnic sense to the speakers of Slavic languages, mainly for the newborn Bulgars, to be able to create some kind of unity between Russians and Bulgars. And then later times, this tag has been branded to Macedonians too but for other purposes, mostly by Greeks.

On behalf of Risto thank you.

[Makedonska_Kafana]

I'm sick and tired of the UMD cheerleaders on this board and MkSorosnews who are indirectly responsible for the US actions or lack of. UMD, normally knows in advance (Reeker) what to expect regarding Macedonia yet misleads their members to believe that with more financial support they can change Washington DC., UN, NATO or the EU. The only thing they're able to change is their minds weekly. (FYROM OPTION)

No one organization can fight racism alone so when they come knocking (Ladies Auxiliary) for a donation tell them that " Charity Begins at Home" and you're not in the business of supporting air miles for other's or boat cruises.



That includes you Steve, Goce (Hamilton), George, Peter, Jim, Zee, and ALL you other Toronto RACIST PIGS!! We know who you are and what you stand for - FYROM & NATO/EU MEMBERSHIP at my expense.

Makster, if u want please add yourself (edit) because this list includes 100 names and I'm not in the mood.

NOTE

For those of you who will NEVER CHANGE please let your friends know there is a choice - say no to them

World Macedonian Diaspora

[Makedonska_Kafana]

How did the UMD find themselves in this mess? They REFUSED to listen to what the World Macedonian Diaspora was telling them, their failure to communicate and allowing non board members to speak on their behalf - 3 X

Hardly, professional and in need of a major shakeup from top to bottom. If I was John Bitove Sr. I wouldn't be pleased with what I see the UMD doing in their spare time. George M., it might be best that you ask John next time you meet? He may request that you work with George K. and get the ship back into Lake Ontario before it sinks?

OUR NAME IS OUR NAME - MACEDONIA

[Makedonska_Kafana]

http://www.makedonskakafana.com/event_gallery.html

[Makedonska_Kafana]

The world of NGO's

I have a little experience in this area and what I'm going to tell you is not some Greek myth or Macedonian wet dream.

In reality NGO's have very little influence on any countries foreign policy or country practices whether they be it good or bad. Now, whenever politics is involved so to is corruption and organized crime. Now, it becomes a matter of who is willing to pay the most for the prostitutes and people like Soros have been doing this for many years and not every politician and person(s) with authority bite but many do. (see brown paper bag).

Now, are the Macedonian NGO's like UMD any more honest or is it really a matter of funds? NGO's, rely heavily on membership to cover the day to day operating expenses and wages if applicable. In many cases there are outside incentives and bonuses.

So, as humans we can be part of the solution or part of the much larger problem (corruption) that will never be resolved in our lifetime.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Makedonska_Kafana]

YouTube - A Name is A Name Australian Premiere

[Risto the Great]

In reality NGO's have very little influence on any countries foreign policy or country practices whether they be it good or bad.

Some NGO's are merely a sympathetic mouthpiece for an "economic terrorist nation" that has a deeper agenda in the victim nation.

[julie]

Some NGO's are merely a sympathetic mouthpiece for an "economic terrorist nation" that has a deeper agenda in the victim nation.

Absolutely, as always RTG, you hit the nail on the head with that comment

[indigen]

Some NGO's are merely a sympathetic mouthpiece for an "economic terrorist nation" that has a deeper agenda in the victim nation.

If the "economic terrorist nation" is the same as where the "UMD" HQ is located, then the following poem might come in handy: Big Mountain

Dont let the witeman tongue fool u
Dont let his paper cool u
With tricks and lies he stole the land
Refuse and resist the witeman plan

[Boge]

If the "economic terrorist nation" is the same as where the "UMD" HQ is located, then the following poem might come in handy: Big Mountain

Exactly friend! we are so lucky to have you here, mate tell us how much you gave to the SAVE BRAT LJUBE FUND

[julie]

Exactly friend! we are so lucky to have you here, mate tell us how much you gave to the SAVE BRAT LJUBE FUND

Boge, what are you talking about? I don't understand your posts
What have you done as a Macedonian patriot Boge??

[Makedonska_Kafana]

Australian Prosfigas/Vlach/Grkowoman Advisory Council also distorts modern Macedonian history. Here, is a perfect example how these WANNA BE Greeks (1913) will try to distort modern history ..

RE: WikiLeaks

- WikiLeaks release (November 2010) on the Macedonian dispute

Now, these morons don't give readers the OFFICIAL SOURCE yet give you one that will distort the truth and CREATE new names ..
translated from protothema .gr/politics/article/?aid =93125

[Makedonska_Kafana]

The past few days GoDaddy (largest) have been busy changing servers at the request of the US Government. Did they forget to tell us the reason why? Improved services?

DDOS

http://www.osnews.com/story/24074/US_Government_Censors_70_Websites