Alexander statue arrived in Skopje

[julie]

I like it George . Change skopje to Alexandria . Makedonia can do what she wants , who the hell are they to tell us what to do ! They changed mums village from kotori to shit . When will macedoniA wake from her slumbers and declare sovereignty . Read my signature mysleeping people and stand up to the politicians who only care to line their pockets with gold , the blood of our heroes spilt on and for Macedonia . Shame on you all allowing such travesty the ethnic genocide of our people. Shame and disgrace to bow to the west , for enforcement of an agreement our forefathers would turn in their graves in utter disgust

[lavce pelagonski]

Alexander Statue Arrives in Skopje To Mixed Reviews

The equestrian statue of Alexander the Great arrived on Tuesday in Skopje’s central square, attracting considerable attention from pedestrians. But it got a big thumbs down from Macedonia’s opposition Social Democrats, who attacked it as expensive and controversial.
Sinisa Jakov Marusic
Skopje

The bronze equestrian statue of the ancient warrior king, which will be some 24 metres high upon erection, arrived in the capital's main square in parts.

But while bystanders gazed with interest, not all Macedonians voiced enthusiasm about this very substantial addition to the city's landscape.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski "has worsened Macedonia's record poverty levels with yet another megalomaniacal statue that is costing citizens an unbelievable 10 million euros,” Kalinka Sentic Gaber, from the opposition Social Democrats, said on Tuesday.

The statue will “additionally complicate the already damaged international position of the country”, she added.

Gruevski's centre-right government, which is funding the erection of the statue, has been secretive about the total cost of the statue and the big fountain that will serve as a base.

The controversial statue is the hub of a massive government-funded revamp of the capital, dubbed “Skopje 2014”, which the government says will dignify the shabby-looking city.

But erecting a monument to Alexander, whom Greeks claim as their own hero, has potential political implications for relations with Athens, already strained by the two-decade-long row over Macedonia's name, which Greece objects to.

So far, the Greek liaison office in Skopje has not issued any official reaction to the arrival of the statue. The online edition of the Greek newspaper, Proto Tema, has called the statue “absurd”, however.

“While unemployment in the country is on the rise and an economic crisis is on the doorsteps of the people, the prime minister of the country has decided to erect monuments, seeking his myth of 'Macedonia'” the newspaper said.

Athens says use of the name "Macedonia" implies a territorial claim to the northern Greek province, also called Macedonia. In 2008 Greece blocked the country’s accession to NATO over the unresolved row and it has done the same to the start of Macedonia's EU accession talks.

The origins and identity of Alexander the Great are at the heart of the dispute, as the two neighbouring nations have different views on Ancient history and both lay claim to the warrior king and his legacy.

The Macedonian government has so far officially described the sculpture simply as an equestrian warrior, not mentioning that the warrior in question is Alexander the Great.

One of the first to arrive in the main square after news spread that part of the giant statue had arrived was the Dutch ambassador, Simone Filippini.

“Macedonians should judge it," he said. "It is not for me to say what is good or bad here. I just see that it is going to happen now, and that it is going to be big.

“You have seen already te reactions from Greece and I think it is up to the Macedonian people to decide what they feel about this,” she added, asked whether she expected an adverse reaction from Greece.

The statue of Alexander in Skopje is the third that will be erected in Macedonia. Two others, in the towns of Prilep and Stip, are considerably smaller.

The erection of the statue comes just one week after the June 5 general election in whichGruevski’s conservative VMRO-DPMNE party won another four-year term.

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-opposition-slams-government-over-alexander-statue

[lavce pelagonski]

George your correct you cant talk to them.

the article above mentions that some Macedonians are not happy about the statue but they interview someone from SDS

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski "has worsened Macedonia's record poverty levels with yet another megalomaniacal statue that is costing citizens an unbelievable 10 million euros,” Kalinka Sentic Gaber, from the opposition Social Democrats, said on Tuesday.

how stupid can they get they are Srbomani if it was of TITO they would love it.

[vojnik]

Look this is the thing lets say 10 million euros was spent on the statue I don't know the exact value but lets say it was 10 million for arguments sake Macedonia has a population of something around 2 million. Let's say we distribute that 10 million euros amongst the citizens instead of the statue, if my maths is right that's 5 euros to every citizen. I don't get how that is sending people into poverty Skopje hasn't had any major work done to it's infrastructure or it's appearance since the Earthquake in the 60's I think it is quite reasonable to throw a few million on the Capital city every 50 years. I mean think about it is our capital city every time Macedonia is shown on the news it looks like a shit hole all they ever show is abandoned villages and gypsies.

[Risto the Great]

I mean think about it is our capital city every time Macedonia is shown on the news it looks like a shit hole all they ever show is abandoned villages and gypsies.

Now it will be "Gypsies next to Warrior on Horse".

[vojnik]

Now it will be "Gypsies next to Warrior on Horse".

haha it's actually funny that when I first saw the video showing what it will look like with the fountain around it the first thing that came to my mind was great another fountain for the gypsies to play in.....

[Zarni]

The Europeans are so committed and knee deep in the battle of the century saving Greece I think it will annoy the Europeans beyond believe to hears Greeks crying like immuture children about Alexander

[Zarni]

balkaninsight constantly biased and always the first to propel the view of the Social Democrats who are beyond redemption in the view of Macedonian public view but that matter littles to this little European trash resource

[Bukefal]

[Bukefal]

[Bukefal]

By the way, it seems the statue will not be placed until September. The statue will be assembled this week, but will not be placed until september. First they will make the fountain and the smaller statues of soldiers around the big statue. Meanwhile Alexander will be kept somewhere else.

[Bukefal]

The Justinijan statue has also arrived. This one is also made in Italy and costs over 1 million.

[Mastika]

balkaninsight constantly biased and always the first to propel the view of the Social Democrats who are beyond redemption in the view of Macedonian public view but that matter littles to this little European trash resource

These comments are warranted, it is nothing more than a mouthpiece for misguided people who only believe in the European Union and nothing else.

[Bukefal]

2 more statues will be placed. Hristo Uzunov and Vasil Chakalarov.


And here is some more info on the Albanian statues;

Пјетр Богдани, роден во Хас, Албанија (1630 - 1689)
- писател (автор на првото оригинално дело напишано на Албански јазик)
- архиепископ на Римо-католичката епархија во Скопје
- живеел во региони кои денес се наоѓаат во Албанија, Македонија, Хрватска, Италија, Бугарија и Косово
- војувал против Отоманската империја

Јосиф Јован Багери, роден во село Нисторово, Гостиварско (1870-1916)
- католички свештеник и просветител
- уредник на албанско списание кое се издавало во Софија
- живеел во Бугарија, Македонија, Албанија и Косово

Неџат Аголи, роден во Дебар (1914-1949)
- партизан, командант на 4-та Албанска бригада предводена од КПЈ за време на НОБ
- правник
- министер за социјална политика во првата влада на НРМ
- иако нема докази, се претпоставува дека е измачуван и убиен во затворот Идризово од страна на УДБА

[indigen]

By the way, it seems the statue will not be placed until September. The statue will be assembled this week, but will not be placed until september. First they will make the fountain and the smaller statues of soldiers around the big statue. Meanwhile Alexander will be kept somewhere else.

Where is the news from (I have not checked online sources today)? If true, it could part of political pressure games used in negotiating a name change with the Grks!

If one remembers what happened with the Macedonian 16-Ray Sun flag, one can observe similarities in the way the flag was adopted in August/Sept 1992 and offered to be traded in in November/Dec 1992 (unofficially given up in April 1993, when it was not raised at the UN!) and the current freeze on the Filip II statute in Bitola (where it has been waiting for more than a year for the 'right time" to be mounted and installed.) and this statute. This "warrior on a horse" could be a dramatic public humiliation for Macedonians and end up another public demonstration to the world that we are renouncing our indigenous heritage but may placate the Grks for some "concessions" that the Vassals will see as "positive". The name itself - "warrior on a horse" - is public humiliation enough, IMO, but I expect we will be on the receiving end of another political bashing very soon.