South Australian Premier Mike Rann, an enemy to Macedonians

[julie]

Originally Posted by Bij

well then FUCK HIM.

no thanks honey, i will definitely pass on that one

[Prolet]

Blagojche, If its on Youtube then its alright

[Soldier of Macedon]

Filthy animal, but who are you going to complain to? Kevin Rudd? He is a passive fool that allows this to go on, none are better than each other. The fact is, the Macedonian people in Australia are not seen as equals to these donkeys and their Greek boyfriends.

[Bill77]

The problem is we lie back and take it. Where if he was to coment anti Greek, The Australian Greeks would picket and make a seen in front of his electoral office or parliment till he apoligised.

[Coolski]

Originally Posted by Bill77

I don't want to get in trouble, but i know something that he is ashamed of. If anyone emails him, just ask how is Pam? Thats all i am saying about this

I hope that whatever information you have that can be used against him, SHOULD be used to its full potential. That guy is a weasel and a vile animal.

[Prolet]

MKD, Here is a bit of inside info on him maybe Risto can fill us in on a bit more


Last Update: Thursday, May 24, 2007. 5:12pm (AEST)
Rann defends Macedonia views

South Australia's Premier Mike Rann has defended his views on the history of Macedonia.

The South Australian Macedonian community wants an apology from Mr Rann for comments attributed to him in a Greek newspaper this month.

He was quoted as saying that Macedonia was 'as Greek as the Acropolis', in reference to a long-running dispute over territory and cultural symbols.

Mr Rann says Macedonia tried to claim the symbols of Greece in the 1990s and that his views are not out of step with the international community.

"Alexander the Great, Philip the second of Macedon, the star of Vergina, the White Tower of Thessaloniki, and this was wrong, so my position, and I was explaining my position back in the 1990s which hasn't changed are the identical ones to the United Nations and the identical ones to the European Union so I'm in good company," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...5/s1932531.htm

UMD's branch in Australia sends letter to Mike Rann
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
In response to the comments made by South Australian Premier Mike Rann that 'Macedonia belongs to Greece,' the United Macedonian Diaspora branch in Canberra, Australia sent a letter calling on him to retract his statement and apologise to the Australian Macedonian community.

Premier of South Australia

GPO Box 2343

ADELAIDE SA 5000

Dear Premier:

The United Macedonian Diaspora ("UMD") notes with concern the inflammatory and anti-Macedonian comments made during your recent visit to Greece, stating that ‘Macedonia belongs to Greece.'

In actual fact, the Republic of Macedonia is a sovereign and democratic state; it is a candidate country for the European Union and the NATO alliance and a staunch ally of Australia and the United States in the war on terror. In short, Macedonia belongs to its citizens, not to any of its neighbours.

UMD hopes to shed some light on the issues related to the legal and constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia. Under pressure from nationalists and extremists, the Greek Government continues to deny the most fundamental human rights to its ethnic Macedonian national minority, which is the reason behind its irrational objection to the Republic of Macedonia’s legitimate and historical name. To support its bizarre stance towards its neighbour’s name, the Greek Government has portrayed a biased and inflammatory misrepresentation of Macedonian history, claiming that Macedonia is Greek.

These human rights abuses have been thoroughly documented by many international agencies, including the European Court of Human Rights, the OSCE, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the United States’ State Department and the European Union. The Greek Government seeks to abrogate its responsibilities and crimes by denying the existence of its victims – ethnic Macedonians, and by extension, the Republic of Macedonia.

Australian Macedonians feel that the comments made are discriminatory and are shocked that an Australian leader would imply that one sovereign state “belongs” to another. Ideas such as these have resulted in too many wars in Southeast Europe, particularly during the 1990’s when radicals such as Slobodan Milosevic claimed that Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina “belonged” to Serbia.

UMD requests that you retract these regretful remarks, clarify your intent (as we believe it was unintentional), and apologise to the Australian Macedonian community and the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. In addition, we hope that you will urge the Australian Government to recognize the Republic of Macedonia under its constitutional name as have the majority of countries around the world.

Sincerely,

Tom Vangelovski

Director, Australia Office

UMD (Australia), GPO Box 900, Canberra City, ACT 2601

--------------------------------------------------

MAKE A DIFFERENCE - UNITED, WE CAN!

JOIN UMD TODAY!

http://umdiaspora.org/content/view/207/51/



South Australia Premier Rann: Macedonia is as Greek as the Acropolis Nov 16, '07 4:26 AM
by BILLY for everyone
Category: Other
South Australia Premier Mike Rann stressed that "Macedonia is as Greek as the Acropolis", during a meeting in Thessaloniki on the weekend with Macedonia-Thrace minister George Kalantzis, noting the "efforts we have been making for many years now, since the 1990s, so that the name 'Republic of Macedonia' (for FYROM) is not recognized, because no nation should steal the history and symbols of another nation".
"For all of us who love History, and know History, Macedonia is as Greek as the Acropolis," said Rann, who was on Sunday presented with the Municipality of Thessaloniki's highest distinction, the Gold Medal of the City, by mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos at an official ceremony. The medal was bestowed on Rann, by unanimous decision of the City Council, in recognition of his contribution to Greece and the promotion of Greece's national issues.
Rann arrived in Athens on Friday on a three-day visit to Greece. He arrived in Thessaloniki on Saturday afternoon, following talks with government officials in Athens and visits to the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. He returned Sunday evening to Athens where, during the working leg of his visit on Monday, Rann will hold meetings with Greek officials, culminating in a meeting with Greece's President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, who will bestow on him a medal of honor.
Rann, for many years a patron of Australia's "Justice for Cyprus" Committee, will leave later on Monday for a working visit to Cyprus.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Kalantzis on Saturday, Rann expressed pleasure at "visiting Macedonia once again, and indeed just a few short weeks ahead of Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis' visit to Australia".
"For many years, since the decade of the '90s, we have been making efforts so that the name 'Republic of Macedonia' (for FYROM) is not recognized, because no nation should steal the history and symbols of another nation".
Rann also noted his efforts on the Cyprus issue as well over the past 30 years.
Kalantzis, in turn, thanked the South Australia premier for his fervent support of the Greek positions.
"When the responsible politicians know the truth, the state it, And the premier spoke the truth. We welcome him, and in his person we meet all those great men who recognize a reality, that no one can forget Hellenism's contribution to the world. The Greeks gave light to Humanity," Kalantzis said.
During the 45-minute meeting, Rann also stressed the strong bonds of friendship between Greece and Australia, and praised the large Greek community that lives and works in his country.
Rann was presented with the Gold Medal of the City of Thessaloniki on Sunday by Mayor Papageorgopoulos. During the ceremony, City Council president Sotiris Kapetanopoulos read out the Council's unanimous decision, while the Mayor stressed that the honor was being bestowed "on a great political man who has contributed much to his homeland, but also to a very great philhellene who has contributed much to Greece and to the promotion of its national issues".
Papageorgopoulos noted that Rann has "boldly and outspokenly" defended Macedonia and the just cause of Cyprus vis-à-vis the Turkish invasion and occupation, and also assistance financially the Cypriot Australians, who lost their properties and possessions during the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island republic, to seek their rights. In recent years, Rann has spoken at more than 40 events of Greek Australians, and taken party in many Greek community events, the Mayor said, also noting Rann's substantial contribution to the founding of the Greek Orthodox College and Greek Primary School in Adelaide.
"We present to you the Gold Medal of the City, with the certainty that this honor is two-way.
We unanimously, and as one spirit, honor you with the Gold Medal, and you honor us with your continuous support," Papageorgopoulos said.
Rann, who was born in Britain and moved with his family to New Zealand at the age of 9, and afterwards to Australia, said that upon arriving in Australia it was the Greek Australians who welcomed him into their homes, opened up their arms to him and helped him better understand the Greek issues. And, of course, "it is Greece that has given an immense gift to Australia and the world, immigration".
"Greece's greatest contribution to the world, however, is the meaning of Democracy, and for this reason it is very important for all of us who believe in freedom and in human rights to defend them wherever we are in the world," Rann said, and cited the Cyprus problem and the FYROM issue.
On the Cyprus issue and Turkey, Rann said: "It is very important not only to proclaim it to the world, but also to defend Cyprus and its rights, against the 1974 Turkish invasion".
Today, he continued, Cyprus was one of the few states in the world that remains divided, following the illegal invasion. "Apartheid has eclipsed, the Berlin Wall has fallen, but the horrendous scar that divides Cyprus remains. Turkey wishes to become a full member of the European Union, but it does not abide by the basic and fundamental rules of the EU, nor with the rulings of the Court of Human Rights. Turkey wants everything for itself, but it cannot continue like this. It must accept the European rules," Rann said.
On the FYROM name issue, Rann said: "Greece has given immense support to FYROM and helped it regarding its future accession of the EU. I consider it wrong for any state to usurp and steal the symbol of the civilization and culture of other peoples".
Rann further recalled his first visit to the Vergina archaeological site, noting that "there I saw first-hand and realized the true history and origin of Macedonia". "In Vergina, one can 'live' the Greekness of this region, recognizing its Greek history, which is not recent but begins in the years of antiquity, and is as certain as are the Old and New Testaments".
On Greek-Australian relations, he said they were "optimum", adding that he looked forward to welcoming Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in his country, during Karamanlis' upcoming visit.
In closing, Rann said "I promise you that I will continue to fight for the just demands of Greece and Greek Macedonia".
Rann was visited the Royal Tombs at Vergina and given a tour of the Byzantine Museum before returning to Athens.

http://macedonians.multiply.com/reviews/item/44

[Prolet]

For those who are not in Australia as you can see we have Premiers of various states calling us Slavs,Culture Thieves and so forth its a massive shame that we can be humiliated in such a way and in return do very little about it.

How strong is the Greek Lobby in South Australia?? Strong enough to put the Premier in their back pocket with payed trips to Greece?? Za Sramota!!!

This is what we as Macedonians have to put up with, Dozhiveavme Premieri da ne brukat and we are powerless to stop it.

[indigen]

Originally Posted by Prolet

For those who are not in Australia as you can see we have Premiers of various states calling us Slavs,Culture Thieves and so forth its a massive shame that we can be humiliated in such a way and in return do very little about it.

Its easy to blame the Macedonians in Australia for "doing nothing" about this or that but IGNORING THE REAL CAUSE for the unenviable predicament - the RULING CIRCLES IN RoM and their AGENTS of DISCORD amongst us.

How strong is the Greek Lobby in South Australia?? Strong enough to put the Premier in their back pocket with payed trips to Greece?? Za Sramota!!!

The Grks are significant in SA and far outnumber Maks, it should not surprise that politicians play up to their chauvinistic demands, which are complemented by our "esteemed" political (ex and current) leaders in RoM, e.g. Ljubcho Georgievski, Kiro Gligorov, Branko Crvenkovski, Ljube Boshkovski, Ljubomir Frchkovski, Vlado Buchkovski, and many, many others.

FYI, the former Ambassador of RoM to Australia, Victor Gaber, visited Australia in 1995 and at a meeting with Macedonian activists stated that he told the Australian government representatives we could accept "Slav Macedonia" as a name but the Albanians would object (would not be fair to them). "Thank God for the Albanians" or RoM would have been SRM ("Slav Republic of Macedonia") by now. :-(

Also, there is a very prominent Macedonian in SA (together with another prominent one from VIC) who used to push the same line as the above mentioned politicians in respect to "Slav" origins of ethnic Macedonians and ridiculed as anti-Macedonian the proponents of Macedonian indigenous continuity (i.e. those who identified with our ancient Ancestors - Filip II and Aleksandar III Makedonski). The Greeks collect, collate and present all this information to the politicians. When some Macedonians activists approach the politicians, they will throw at the Maks all these statements from local Macedonian "leaders" as well as RoM representatives such as mentioned above and their conscience will be clear.

The only course for action would be a legal one, provided there is a case for prosecution. Legal advice should be sought.

This is what we as Macedonians have to put up with, Dozhiveavme Premieri da ne brukat and we are powerless to stop it.

E pa, shto ochekuvash koga si dozvoluvame da ne brukaat site dosegashni vladateli i drzhavni institucii vo RM? Od eden do posleden ne prestavuvaat kako "Slavjani" i pregovaraat za novo ime.

Before US Mak activists point fingers at AU Maks, they should look in their own backyard and see how software giants such as Microsoft are designating Macedonia and the Macedonian language!

[Prolet]

Indigen, Who said we didnt have traitors around us??

We cant go anywhere without a raschisten dvor, however its very insulting when a premier of a state calls us every name under the sun yet all we did in return is write a few emails.

To me Risto is the best person to answer this question, i never knew the Greek lobby is that strong in South Australia. Strong enough for their Premier to blast the shit out of us.

We have traitors around us, however we have some good people who have always done good to our community. We should be organized and work together on this, we also have to isolate the Udbashi and Shpioni who have done nothing but disgraced our community thats the bottom line here.

When i was in stari kraj, the people there were amazed why Australia hasnt recognized us yet and asked me if the Macedonian Lobby was that weak. They told me to look at how the Macedonians in North America managed to achieve recognition and that we should follow their example.

[Risto the Great]

Adelaide has a significant number of Greeks and they lobby to their full potential. The Macedonians are a much smaller population and do not have the political influence of the Greeks. This sadly is not a case of right versus wrong. Reminds me why the VHS one the video wars over the Beta format. It was not because the quality was better, Beta was superior, it was the marketing.

In this case, it is not because the Greeks are right and deserving. It is because they are lobbying and marketing much better. When they have the Greek politicians (+ former ones) standing up and pissing in Rann's ear, there is little chance for us. I used to be quite active in lobbying the various departments about this matter. It was utterly frustrating.

They know what is right. We need to quadruple our influence to make things improve.