United Macedonia Diaspora

[Risto the Great]

Macedonia's scorecard for what it's worth (not much btw):

https://freedomhouse.org/country/north-macedonia/freedom-world/2022

[Risto the Great]

From Meto Koloski

I recently took on a new full-time position with Freedom House (founded in 1941 to work as an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy around the world), as their Senior Development Officer.

He quit the UMD and joined USA's propaganda arm. Almost all funding for this "society" comes from US Government grants. But Soros donates to them also. Sounds like a nice place with caring people who want to see a better world.

Freedom is a funny thing:

https://www.opindia.com/2021/03/us-government-funded-freedom-house-downgrades-india-on-freedom/

[Risto the Great]

In some respects, he is worse than an overt traitor.

In the most important way, he is nothing more than a traitor. He has been whoring himself for relevance since the early days. He is an unnecessary evil.

[Soldier of Macedon]

But the name change remains unpopular in Macedonia, according to Meto Koloski, president of the United Macedonian Diaspora, who spoke to the Star from the country where he is attending celebrations this week. “Everybody that I’ve spoken to is against it,” Koloski said, “but we understand it is a necessary evil in a way.”

So much for interpreting the will of the Macedonian people or being their voice. If one reads some of his earlier statements documented on this thread, they would realise he has been spewing up trash like this for many years, sometimes more subtle than not. Meto Koloski is a treacherous opportunist and any Macedonian (or non-Macedonian) that squanders their time, money or resources in support of the UMD either knows this and doesn't care because it aligns with their own agenda or is clueless about his intentions. In some respects, he is worse than an overt traitor. At least the latter has some principles, pathetic as they may be.

[Momce Makedonce]

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/09/08/macedonians-in-canada-prepare-to-celebrate-ancestral-nations-30th-independence-day.html?fbclid=IwAR2n0AAHYb0DY0UWdSmyWMgF2w9yF5QtdtOD8IglWuvp2eIeCFbOGoji_b8

“Macedonians in Canada prepare to celebrate ancestral nation’s 30th Independence Day

In the years after Macedonia declared its independence in 1991, Toronto lawyer Chris Paliare spent time travelling around the GTA trying to get local governments to recognize the country by raising its flag at city halls to celebrate its Independence Day.

It didn’t go well.

Paliare, a Macedonian whose family has been in Canada more than 100 years, said most cities refused to fly the flag on the grounds Canada had not yet recognized what is now officially called North Macedonia as a country. It was disheartening, he said.

“It was stunning to me that a country that values freedom of association, that values all of the items we have ingrained in the charter, that somehow this group, unlike any other ethnic groups, was not going to be allowed to celebrate the birth of its new nation,” he said. “It was inconceivable to me.”

Now, decades after the breakup of Yugoslavia led to Macedonia’s nonviolent independence, Toronto’s large Macedonian community is preparing to celebrate the 30th independence day for the nation on Wednesday.

Things are different from the early ’90s. The challenges Paliare once had seeking recognition of the country in the city are no more. Wednesday, the CN Tower and Niagara Falls will be lit up with the colours of the North Macedonian flag, as part of celebrations that are otherwise toned down due to COVID-19.

The country borders five other nations, including Greece and Serbia, and is home to about 2 million people. The Macedonian community abroad numbers about 4 million, with up to 150,000 people claiming the ancestry living in Canada, according to the Canadian Macedonian Historical Society. The largest concentration is in Toronto.

Paliare said when the country declared its independence in 1991, it gave a boost of pride to the community in Toronto. Macedonians had been spread around Europe and the world with no country to call their own for more than 100 years.

“It didn’t take away from our love of being Macedonian, or our love of the culture or our hopes and aspirations that someday we would have our country back,” he said.

There was a time when he didn’t think he would see it actually happen, but the dissolution of Yugoslavia brought the change quickly.

“I never expected it in my lifetime,” Paliare said. “It was not something we ever anticipated.”

While Macedonians work toward building the country, the diaspora around the world has helped efforts.

But the Macedonian community in Toronto on its own has a history of helping develop the country. One of the key people from the city was Toronto businessman John Bitove, who helped organize efforts to have the country recognized internationally.

His son, Toronto Star publisher and honorary consul to the Republic of North Macedonia, Jordan Bitove, said his father was a tireless advocate for the nation.

“My dad and all Macedonians longed for a day that they could have a place that they could actually call Macedonia,” Bitove said. “So, with me, there’s a lot of emotion around the date.”

Paliare said no Canadian worked harder to have the country recognized than John Bitove.

The two worked together with politicians there and with the community in Toronto to work toward international recognition.

“No one really led the charge like John,” Paliare said. “Both in terms of time and money. And boundless energy.”

But it hasn’t been all smooth since the 1991 declaration. The country joined NATO and aims to join the European Union. But a step toward realizing these goals was agreeing to officially call itself the Republic of North Macedonia in order to gain Greece’s support in 2019.

Greece contended the use of simply Macedonia suggests territorial claims in Greece’s northern Macedonia province and objected to the country claiming the name.

Recently, relations between the two countries have warmed with both countries’ foreign ministers last week confirming ties have deepened since 2019.

But the name change remains unpopular in Macedonia, according to Meto Koloski, president of the United Macedonian Diaspora, who spoke to the Star from the country where he is attending celebrations this week.

“Everybody that I’ve spoken to is against it,” Koloski said, “but we understand it is a necessary evil in a way.”

As the country grows its IT sector, tourism and natural resources are playing a part in its economic development, he said.

Meanwhile, in Toronto, the presence of the community remains palpable across the city.

Once bound tightly by community churches, Bitove said, the original immigrants came to Canada and worked low-paying jobs in factories or restaurants with subsequent generations going into other fields, like medicine.

After the country declared its independence, he said, some people he knew over time began to claim the heritage who did not previously. At the same time, it became less of a struggle to explain to people he was Macedonian.

“When I went to school, and I would identify as a Macedonian, nobody knew what that meant,” Bitove said. “When independence happened, it was actually the first time you could say you’re Macedonian and people understood.”

[Soldier of Macedon]

There is no bridge. There is nothing to strengthen. Seriously though, given the UMD's monumental failure in relation to the MPO, you would think they might tread very lightly on Bulgarian matters. Instead, there they go again.

I guess it comes down to priorities and alignment. Bulgaria attacks Macedonia, the UMD follow the example of SDS and extend their hand in friendship to the Bulgars. Macedonian sovereignty is insulted both inside and outside of the country, the UMD follow the example of SDS, who feel there are more important matters to address, like promoting a "Skopje pride" march. Opportunism. Monkey see, monkey do. Whatever. Nero also supposedly fiddled while Rome burned.

[VMRO]

While Macedonia is currently dealing with relentless political attacks from Bulgaria, the UMD are meeting with Bulgars in the U.S. to "strengthen bridge-building dialogue between Bulgaria and Macedonia". Are these the same bridges as those built between the UMD and the MPO when they got screwed by the latter during the U.S. census? At this moment, what possible dialogue could there be with these people if the starting point isn't a condemnation of their government's despicable attitude towards Macedonians in general? Even if there is nothing sinister about the meeting, the timing couldn't be more terrible. It's almost Zaevesque the way they appear to be doing PR for good neighbourly relations at a time when Bulgaria is literally trying to destroy the heritage of Macedonia.

What a stooge, Meto deleted his post after he copped backlash.

I bet they were telling him how they “respect” Macedonians, then behind his back saying how Tito created us. Never ever trust a Tartar

[VMRO]

these guys made a "wikipedia strike force" and got their asses handed to them. Next time they should be careful not to publicly announce such plans.

That was Meto, he paraded it on social media.



absolute joke, not sure what he was thinking giving our enemies the heads up

[Risto the Great]

There is no bridge.
There is nothing to strengthen.
Seriously though, given the UMD's monumental failure in relation to the MPO, you would think they might tread very lightly on Bulgarian matters. Instead, there they go again.

[Soldier of Macedon]

While Macedonia is currently dealing with relentless political attacks from Bulgaria, the UMD are meeting with Bulgars in the U.S. to "strengthen bridge-building dialogue between Bulgaria and Macedonia". Are these the same bridges as those built between the UMD and the MPO when they got screwed by the latter during the U.S. census? At this moment, what possible dialogue could there be with these people if the starting point isn't a condemnation of their government's despicable attitude towards Macedonians in general? Even if there is nothing sinister about the meeting, the timing couldn't be more terrible. It's almost Zaevesque the way they appear to be doing PR for good neighbourly relations at a time when Bulgaria is literally trying to destroy the heritage of Macedonia.

[maco2envy]

these guys made a "wikipedia strike force" and got their asses handed to them. Next time they should be careful not to publicly announce such plans.

[Soldier of Macedon]

https://umdiaspora.org/cpt_services/policy-and-education/

UMD reiterates its unwavering support for retention of the one and only constitutional and rightful name of Macedonia, rejects all attempts to change or impose any other name upon Macedonia and the Macedonian people, and calls upon the Macedonian government to cease the ongoing UN talks and to submit a resolution before the UN General Assembly to be re-admitted to the UN under its one and only constitutional and rightful name — the Republic of Macedonia.

A far cry from their stances back in the day. But I suppose people can change. This was interesting also:

https://umdiaspora.org/cpt_services/advocacy-2/

The role of the Australia Macedonia Parliamentary Friendship Group (AMPFG) is to promote closer, better quality and more meaningful relations with the Republic of Macedonia and its diaspora in Australia through innovative and high impact policies, programs, projects and events that deliver better social, economic and environmental outcomes for all key stakeholders. Below is a list of members and friends of the AMPFG.

I am not sure what UMD's involvement is with the AMPFG or why they are promoting this group on their website. Two people on the list caught my attention: Mr Steve Georganas MP and Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP. A short search online produced the following:

June 2013 - After Stephen Jones, a Member of Parliament for Australia’s Labor Party gave a speech insisting that his country recognize FYROM as The Republic of Macedonia, Foreign Minister Bob Carr gave reassurances that the government didn’t back him. Carr told Steve Georganas, Vice-President of the Parliament, that “The policy of Australia to the Skopje issue remains stable,” and didn’t expect it would change. Georganas had asked him to give a definitive stance.

May 2019 - An effective spokesperson for the Greek community in Canberra, she has crusaded for a number of issues, and has worked alongside other Greek-Australian federal politicians to align Australia’s foreign policy with the needs of the diaspora on matters such as the Cyprus Occupation and the name dispute with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

How would those two promote closer, better quality and more meaningful relations? Perhaps a bit of due diligence every now and then.

[JPMKD]

Vic,
Thanks for all that recent info! As you know, I was familiar with that church when younger and recall several Macedonian "uprisings". I recall whispers of MPO, usually with a Macedonian or English curse word in from of it. I also recall graffiti in the men's room. Have not been their in decades, did not realize the politics until many years later and am still learning. I just recall we always had Macedonians, Bulgarians , a few "Greeks", and Armenians. (The Greeks didn't speak Greek )We also had a few "Amerikanski" from the surrounding are, which was cool.

I do know that several years ago I heard a story that Mike Ilitich offered them a sum of money to either combine with one of the MOC's or to repair St. Clement. They chose the latter. (Can you confirm or debunk this?). I'd be interested. I always recall hearing MPO in whispers there, but was raised 100% Macedonian. This vote thing is killing me...

[Pelagonija]

Sorry agreed True Macedonians are everywhere.

[Risto the Great]

what defines/makes a "true Macedonian"?

It's irrelevant. What is more important is the distinction between good and bad Macedonians. True Macedonians are everywhere, doesn't mean they are good for Macedonia.