Macedonian Rally in Canberra

[Karposh]

Just over 5,000 Macedonians from all across Australia attended the protest in Canberra yesterday.

I suppose I should report a little bit on the day, seeing I was there. 5,000 probably sounds about right (maybe even a touch optimistic). They did come from everywhere though. I even met a few young people from Melbourne who made the trip up.

It was a stinking hot day (about 35°C) which made it really uncomfortable for all concerned and any shade was a welcome reprieve from the scorching sun. People were huddled under any shade they could find but unfortunately the sparse leaf foliage of the local gum trees didn’t offer much shade at all. I’m currently nursing third degree burns on my neck and arms. But we stuck it out nevertheless and I think we made our point to FYROM’s representatives.

The day wasn’t without its disappointments though. One of them was the number of ventilators being waved around the place. A few dumb fucks were even draped in them in an embarrassing display of FYROMian pride. The other disappointment I don’t care to even mention at this stage. Maybe some other time when I feel up to it.

The bus trip to fro was interesting. I boarded a bus with a bunch of senior citizens out on a day trip who were all pumped up for a good time. Mine was literally the party bus which made the four hour trip to Canberra (which included a stop over) quite enjoyable. They were belting out old Macedonian folk songs while a few of the old boys in the back of the bus were getting loaded on rakija.

[Dejan]

I also made the trip down from Sydney with a few compatriots. It was a decent turn out. Very hot day. Wasn't a fan of seeing the ventilator by some, but majority were flying the right flag I thought. Hopefully the one in Sydney on 4 March will attract more of us

[Vangelovski]

The other disappointment I don’t care to even mention at this stage. Maybe some other time when I feel up to it.

Oh come on. You can't just mention it and not tell us.

[Phoenix]

I suppose I should report a little bit on the day, seeing I was there. 5,000 probably sounds about right (maybe even a touch optimistic). They did come from everywhere though. I even met a few young people from Melbourne who made the trip up.

It was a stinking hot day (about 35°C) which made it really uncomfortable for all concerned and any shade was a welcome reprieve from the scorching sun. People were huddled under any shade they could find but unfortunately the sparse leaf foliage of the local gum trees didn’t offer much shade at all. I’m currently nursing third degree burns on my neck and arms. But we stuck it out nevertheless and I think we made our point to FYROM’s representatives.

The day wasn’t without its disappointments though. One of them was the number of ventilators being waved around the place. A few dumb fucks were even draped in them in an embarrassing display of FYROMian pride. The other disappointment I don’t care to even mention at this stage. Maybe some other time when I feel up to it.

The bus trip to fro was interesting. I boarded a bus with a bunch of senior citizens out on a day trip who were all pumped up for a good time. Mine was literally the party bus which made the four hour trip to Canberra (which included a stop over) quite enjoyable. They were belting out old Macedonian folk songs while a few of the old boys in the back of the bus were getting loaded on rakija.

C'mon mate...that was more weather report than rally report, what other shit went down...

Well done to all of you attending from outside of Canberra...5K on a scorcher + long road trip is a bloody good effort...when you consider
how many apathetic fyromians are sitting around in the Republic with their thumbs up their arse...awaiting the negotiations to run their course...fark me

[Risto the Great]

It's like driving from Macedonia to Croatia to go to a protest.
They'd say you are crazy.

[Solun]

when you consider
how many apathetic fyromians are sitting around in the Republic with their thumbs up their arse...awaiting the negotiations to run their course...fark me

You have to remember that anybody in fyrom who speaks up about what is happening is lying in jail facing terror charges. Alot of us on the forum would also be locked up if we were typing from there.

http://kurir.mk/makedonija/vesti/vmro-dpmne-so-obvinenijata-za-terorizam-se-prakja-poraka-za-zastrashuvanje-na-site-koi-sakaat-da-go-krenat-svojot-glas-protiv-vlasta/

[Tomche Makedonche]

It's like driving from Macedonia to Croatia to go to a protest.
They'd say you are crazy.

Riste, like I get what your trying to get at with that particular analogy but using Croatia for Canberra doesn’t really put across the correct comparison here. A more fitting substitute for Canberra would be something like a dilapidated Lepper colony in some rural gypsy village in Romania. You know, like the last place anyone would ever want to go

[Phoenix]

You have to remember that anybody in fyrom who speaks up about what is happening is lying in jail facing terror charges. Alot of us on the forum would also be locked up if we were typing from there.

http://kurir.mk/makedonija/vesti/vmr...protiv-vlasta/

...I think that's the result of the widespread apathy that is killing Macedonia...Imagine if there was a wider movement of protest, of concerned citizens...they can't lock them all up...

[Phoenix]

Riste, like I get what your trying to get at with that particular analogy but using Croatia for Canberra doesn’t really put across the correct comparison here. A more fitting substitute for Canberra would be something like a dilapidated Lepper colony in some rural gypsy village in Romania. You know, like the last place anyone would ever want to go

...lol...apologies to all Romanian gypsy lepers visiting the forum.

[Tomche Makedonche]

...lol...apologies to all Romanian gypsy lepers visiting the forum.

Shit, yeah you’re right, I forgot those poor buggers have all got fibre to the premises...

[Risto the Great]

...lol...apologies to all Romanian gypsy lepers visiting the forum.

Don't they call themselves Greek nowadays?

[Momce Makedonce]

Short video of the Canberra protest. Must say it`s almost all the original flag shown in this video, its got my blood pumping for the Sydney protest on Sunday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTU1FJq3jpo

[Karposh]

Short video of the Canberra protest. Must say it`s almost all the original flag shown in this video, its got my blood pumping for the Sydney protest on Sunday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTU1FJq3jpo

Short video of the Canberra protest. Must say it`s almost all the original flag shown in this video, its got my blood pumping for the Sydney protest on Sunday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTU1FJq3jpo

Thanks for posting that MM. Really nice montage with pretty cool editing. I'm glad they edited out all the ventilators. There probably wasn't as many as I first thought but seeing one at all at any Macedonian gathering is one too many. A fair estimate would probably be about 80:20 on the day in favour of the original flag. Here's hoping Sunday will see a 100:0 showing of flags in favour of the original.

Why some people can't see the importance of flying the one true flag in the diaspora is beyond me. And that flag, of course, is the original 16 ray ancient Macedonian sun symbol. The original flag represents our national identity as Macedonians and not the political entity known as FYRoM. Many Macedonians who don't hail from the republic have no affinity with its bullshit national symbols which have been designed and implemented to keep others happy and not the citizens it is meant to represent. The republic's ventilator flag means nothing to them (or to me). There is absolutely no logical reason to be flying the flag in the diaspora that is the the symbol of defeat and capitulation and represents approximately 1/3 of the total Macedonian homeland which many Egejci and Pirinci have no attachment to. This should be seen as a protest for protecting the Macedonian identity and not merely about what the homeland of the Vardar Macedonians will eventually call itself.