Gjorgje Ivanov

[lavce pelagonski]

Ivanov should ask him if he is going to recognize us if not get lost.

[Voltron]

Translation not the best, but anybody hear about this on your news channels ?
It referenced "Den"

http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=455204

Surprise referendum ahead of NATO summit prepared by Gruevski
He will seek approval for the name "Northern Republic of Macedonia"

Surprise referendum ahead of NATO summit prepared by Gruevski

Trying to throw the ball in Athens on the way to Chicago makes Nikola Gruevski. According to the newspaper front page «Den», cited government sources, the Skopje Prime Minister is preparing to move to a strategic surprise on the eve of NATO Summit. Specifically, Mr. Gruevski is planning to propose a referendum, perhaps the name "Northern Republic of Macedonia" (as noted previously accepted by the Greek side). Then, he intends to ask in return the invitation to join the Alliance of Macedonia.

The opposition newspaper goes on to say that the Skopje Prime Minister has determined that no efforts have yielded the same as well as the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence for NATO membership without resolution of the name, despite the positive decision of the Skopje International Court of Justice for violation the Interim Agreement from Greece.

At the same time, NATO does not appear willing to open discussion on membership invitation Skopje. Clear position on this issue has been repeatedly stated Secretary General of the Alliance Anders Fogh Rasmussen, while the United States does not wish to push Athens - more so because the political landscape after the elections on 6 May at least foggy deleted. Diplomatic circles reported that Mr. Gruevski knows deep down that the Summit of Chicago will not have a positive outcome for his country and for this reason President Georgi Ivanov will attend and not himself.

Skopje have recently engaged in a continuous lobbying to win supporters, in addition of Turkey is the main supporter of positions within NATO. Besides Mr. Gruevski, the project undertaken by the Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki (which met a few days ago with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki - moon and Matthew Nimetz in New York) and the (Albanian) Defense Minister Fatmir Besimi. The second even visited Germany, although not accepted by the German counterpart. Skopje has recently approached Berlin, which is particularly active in the Balkans, and that believe they can tilt the scales in their favor.

Publicly, the German government is very careful. In private conversations, however, has clearly sent a message to Athens after the meeting that Chicago has to accelerate procedures towards finding a solution. Berlin wants peace in the Balkans, it is concerned about the instability could be caused by an inter-ethnic conflict Slav - Albanians, but also the influence of Islamist elements in the region - including Kosovo.

Experienced diplomats point out that, unless overturned everything, the Summit of Chicago will not contain any surprises. However, the battle for the final version of the Joint Communiqué of the Summit will be tough. "The word of the Bucharest summit, which essentially connects Skopje with the prior resolution of the name issue must be preserved as a pupil" he explains. However, it can not be ruled out even at the last moment, a change that would open the way to Skopje, but at a later stage and not be complacent.

[George S.]

Northern republic of macedonia is a stupid name.You have allready northern greece it's going to conflict with that.Once again by putting prefixes on a name like northern legitimises greece's claim that they have some sort of monopoly over the name.//"Chicago has to accelerate procedures towards a solution"".Yeah just hurrying up the process isn't going to solve the problem.No referendum is going to approve of a different name.I think Northern is not going to work.Why as well change your name if the germans are working in your favour?

[Risto the Great]

Surprise referendum ahead of NATO summit prepared by Gruevski
He will seek approval for the name "Northern Republic of Macedonia"

I wouldn't put it past Gruevski the Macedonia Slayer ... but I equally wouldn't rely on a Greek newspaper ... for anything really.

[The LION will ROAR]

I would never accept a Name change...
But If Gruevski is pushing for the Name change to "Northern Macedonian"..
why doesn't he push the occuipied part of Macedonian that's in greece to be called Southern Macedonia and see how the greeks like it..?

[Vangelovski]

A glimmer of hope...

За темите околу Грција, името и македонското учество во НАТО-операциите во Авганистан, референдум за име… тука македонските граѓани се доследни и константни – 66 отсто би ги прекинале преговорите под покровителство на ОН, 81 отсто одговорија дека ЕУ треба да ја прекине помошта за Грција, 56 отсто од граѓаните се и против распишување референдум за промена на името, над 80 отсто од граѓаните сметаат дека Македонија треба да ги повлече војниците од Авганистан…

According to this poll, 66 per cent of respondents are in favour of ending name negotiations and 56 per cent are against a referendum on a name change.

http://www.mkd.mk/28052/makedonija/a...me-lustracija/

[Risto the Great]

Only a glimmer!

[Vangelovski]

Only a glimmer!

Only a very slight glimmer - it is only passive opinion and not active resistence.

[Brian]

I would never accept a Name change...
But If Gruevski is pushing for the Name change to "Northern Macedonian"..
why doesn't he push the occuipied part of Macedonian that's in greece to be called Southern Macedonia and see how the greeks like it..?

I've been thinking that for a long time. It would answer all the Greek claims about ambiguity.

[Orovnichanec]

Macedonian president wants defence minister investigated for tribute to ethnic Albani

SKOPJE, Macedonia - Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov said Wednesday he wants the defence minister investigated for "abuse of office" for paying tribute to ethnic Albanian rebels killed during the country's brief but intense 2001 ethnic conflict.

The development underlines the ethnic tensions that still persist in Macedonia, a former Yugoslav republic that was riven a six-month ethnic conflict in 2001.

Defence Minister Fatmir Besimi, a member of the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration party, a junior partner in the government, paid tribute to ethnic Albanian rebels in a ceremony he organized Monday.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's ruling VMRO-DPMNE party and the Chief of Army Staff also distanced themselves from Besimi's event, which some fear could fuel ethnic tensions in the tiny Balkan state. Meanwhile, a group of Macedonian veterans who fought in the 2001 ethnic conflict also called for the minister's immediate resignation Wednesday, labeling his presence at the ceremony "a provocation."

"The event violated the dignity of the Macedonian defenders, distorting the inter-ethnic relations in the country and creating conditions for their escalation," the veterans' association said in a statement.

Tensions are still a feature of live between the ethnic Albanian minority — about a quarter of Macedonia's population of 2.1 million — and the Macedonian majority. Ethnic Albanians started the rebellion in 2001 demanding equal rights for their community, including quotas in the police, army, and other state institutions and the use of Albanian as a second official language in some areas. About 80 people died in the conflict before it ended with a peace treaty that met some of their demands.

The ceremony took place in the northern village of Slupcane, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the capital, Skopje, on the 11th anniversary of the peace accord.

The office of the Macedonian president said in a statement that President Ivanov, who also serves as Supreme commander, "requires from all parties involved not to abuse the Army and use the army uniform for political or any other purposes."

Besimi explained his move as bid for "reconciliation."

"Building trust is based on mutual respect. I sincerely regret that this commitment to reconciliation ... was not fully understood," he told reporters Wednesday.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Macedonian+president+wants+defence+minister+investigated+tribute/7093579/story.html

[Niko777]

They can do all the investigating they want, but let's go to the root of the problem:

Why was Fatmir Besimi appointed as defence minister?

Why were Albanians allowed to construct a UCK monument in Macedonia?

Why is DUI being treated like a regular political party in government, when in fact they are a terrorist organization with the goal of making Macedonia disappear from the map?

[Vangelovski]

There's nothing to investigate in Ramkovist Macedonia. The Framework Agreement, the legitimisation of the NLA (reincarnated as DUI) as a political party and the amnesty given to wanted war criminals and suspected terrorists has made this event perfectly "reasonable". I'm not sure what Ivanov is complaining about.

[George S.]

Gross disrespect of albanians towards macedonians.I have never seen such disrespect shown to those who fought in the 2001 war.Gruevski is a traitor of the highest order,he has shown his support for the terrorists & what they did in 2001 by honoring them.I i think this is a complete sell out on everything that is macedonian & that we hold dearly.

[Risto the Great]

There's nothing to investigate in Ramkovist Macedonia. The Framework Agreement, the legitimisation of the NLA (reincarnated as DUI) as a political party and the amnesty given to wanted war criminals and suspected terrorists has made this event perfectly "reasonable". I'm not sure what Ivanov is complaining about.

There is nothing further to be said.
.... other than the RoMacedonians get what they deserve.

[MHRMI]

MHRMI Meets President Ivanov, Reiterates Demand that Macedonia End Name Negotiations

MHRMI Meets with Macedonian President Ivanov, Reiterates Demand that Macedonia End Name Negotiations

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International Press Release

https://www.mhrmi.org

April 21, 2013

Toronto, Canada - On April 20, 2013, a delegation from Macedonian Human Rights Movement International met with Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov during his official state visit to Canada and reiterated our demand that Macedonia immediately end the name negotiations.

MHRMI President Bill Nicholov and MHRMI members Bill Pavlovski, Jovan Drenoski and Chris Balkos (Balkovski) met with President Ivanov, Macedonian Ambassador to Canada Ljuben Tevdovski and Macedonian Member of Parliament for North America, Pavle Sazdov.

MHRMI called on the Macedonian government to expose Greece's blatant racism and true goals in initiating the nonsensical "name dispute" - to eradicate the existence of Macedonia and Macedonians. Instead of constantly defending itself against Greece's ridiculous claims, Macedonia must highlight the irrationality of these claims, such as the risk of "confusion" between the Republic of Macedonia and the Province of Macedonia (which Greece annexed after the partition of Macedonia in 1913) and the supposed "need" for a geographical qualifier. The "qualifier" is already "Republic" so why would something like "Upper", "Northern" or some other ludicrous suggestion be necessary? As MHRMI stated, the "geographical qualifier" argument is simply a ploy in getting Macedonians to be referred to as "Upper Macedonians" or "Northern Macedonians". In other words, trying to eliminate Macedonia's name and identity.

Macedonia must also abolish the notion that it is a "new" nation that is trying to usurp a Greek name. Greece denied the existence of Macedonia until 1988 and did not exist itself as a country until 1830. Macedonia has always been known as such. Macedonia must highlight that Greece, in fact, is trying to usurp Macedonia's name.

MHRMI called on the Macedonian government to point out to the United States, the European Union and other NATO member-states, their extreme hypocrisy in demanding that Macedonia change its name, while simultaneouly claiming that they spread "human rights and democracy" throughout the world. How can the US, EU and NATO justify denying Macedonia its most basic right - that of self-identification?

MHRMI asked for the Macedonian government to join its call for UN mediator Matthew Nimetz to resign his post and, as his predecessor Robin O'Neil has done, denounce the name negotiations.

In addition to several other key points in the Our Name is Macedonia campaign, which demands that Macedonia stop negotiating its own name, we highlighted the crucial point that any change to Macedonia's bilateral name with Greece would change it internationally.

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International also focused on the vital work that we, and our partners the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee, do throughout the Balkans in the promotion of Macedonian human rights and called on the Macedonian government to be much more vocal in advocating human rights for Macedonians in Greece, Bulgaria and Albania, just as countries such as Greece and Albania do for their respective minorities in the Balkans.

Finally, we call on Macedonians in Macedonia, and worldwide, to join the Our Name is Macedonia campaign and demand that Macedonia immediately end the name negotiations. Contact information for the Macedonian parliament can be found here:

http://www.sobranie.mk/en/?ItemID=3117B2594B76DA4DA19ACBC1D4FAE5CE

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Help Macedonians overcome the human rights abuses that they face on a daily basis by joining the MHRMI Human Rights Fund or the AMHRC's Macedonian Minorities Support Fund. MHRMI and AMHRC are the only organizations in the Macedonian diaspora that finance and organize Macedonian human rights activities in the Balkans. Your donation will go directly to funding vital Macedonian human rights activities.

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) has been active on human and national rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed peoples since 1986. For more information: www.mhrmi.org, www.twitter.com/mhrmi, www.facebook.com/mhrmi, [email protected], +1 416-850-7125.