The Macedonian [sic] Australian Community Organization of "Vardar" (II)

Many are asking us why we bother with the Yugoslavs and try to rebut their claims. There's no point dealing with these people –they say– they're unstoppable in their determination to change the facts.

Melbourne Macedonian was created with the intention of getting the Greek perspective on the Macedonia Issue out there. That's what we've started to do (we'd like to think) and that's what we'll continue to do.

For we believe it's important to stand up for what's right.

That said, Melbourne Macedonian has no intention of engaging in round-the-clock online warfare with the various Yugoslav-run pages on social media sites like Facebook, where many untruths are being written on a regular basis.

However, if we see something we deem to be incorrect or deceiving, out of line with history or lacking sheer common sense, we will respond. And even if it's just for the record.

So following our previous post addressing misleading statements found on the Facebook page of the so-called Macedonian Australian Community Organization of "Vardar", we would like to make the following points.

It's funny that the Vardar Community Organization should refer us to their video dated 12 April 2016 where Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull acknowledges their country as "Macedonia". Why? Because, firstly, after eight (8) months and in spite of the prime minister's promise to 'take on board their concerns', there has been no change whatsoever in Australia's position on the name (Australia continues to recognize their country officially only as FYROM) and, secondly, their vocal advocate Luke Simpkins no longer represents the electorate of Cowan and is no longer a member of parliament (he was unseated by Labor's Anne Aly in the July federal election).

Also, we would like to stress that there is nothing wrong with Yugoslav organizations being active in Australia and running cultural events. What is wrong, in our opinion, is these organizations provoking the local Greek community unashamedly by, amongst other things:

• Distorting historical facts, e.g. claiming the ancient kingdom of Macedonia was in fact Slavic and not Hellenic (= Greek)
• Stealing Hellenic symbols, e.g. using flags with the Vergina Sun at community halls and cultural events
• Making irredentist claims (informally) on Greek territory, e.g. putting up maps of "Greater" Macedonia at community halls, teaching their young people that Thessaloniki and Florina rightly belong to FYROM
• Arguing cases that are simply baseless and outlandish, e.g. claiming that the Slavic-speaking peoples of northern Greece were victims of "genocide" during the 20th century.

Indeed, as we said in our previous post, the Vardar Community Organization would be doing itself a favour if before pressing Enter it read over everything it writes a second or third time. 

A Yugoslav community function
in Toronto, Canada

They seem to be forgetting that the Greek community in Australia, Canada, and the U.S. is much larger and better established than theirs, hence misleading statements and provocative actions will always trigger a strong reaction.

Let's not forget ourselves that FYROM's population sits at around 2.1 million, or one fifth that of Greece's, and about 25% of this 2.1 million is ethnic Albanians. Just for the record.