EFA-Rainbow :: News 2008

Thursday - 21 November, 2024

The Rainbow Party

» Introduction
» New Manifesto
» Old Manifesto
» Principles
» Founding Principles
» Organisation

Следете нè на:

Aκολουθήστε μας στο:

Follow us on:

ΕFA-Rainbow supports the right of the Catalan people to decide on their future and joins the EFA campaign "Catalonia decides"

Catalonia decides

MAKEDONSKI.ORG

INTERNET RADIO

A selection of Macedonian blogs in Greece

Abecedar
Aegean Macedonian Culture
Antimakedonismos
Mladini-Makedonci

Anti-macedonian policy during the elections for the European Parliament against Rainbow by the Greek state and the Greek mass media

A scandal by the Parliamentary committee

Greek TV stations sabotage EFA-Raibow

Ultra-nationalists want "borders with Serbia"!

"Hellenic Post" sabbotages EFA-Rainbow Campaign

Typical example of censorship of Rainbow

Attack of the Greek Neo-nazi party

A Greek - Macedonian dictionary by Vasko Karatza printed with the support of EFA - Rainbow
Greek Macedonian

D. Lithoxoou

lithoksou.net/home.html
"Extracts of Letters"

Τι έλεγε κάποτε το ΚΚΕ για τους Μακεδόνες

Denying Ethnic Identity:
The Macedonians of Greece, by Human Rights Watch

Linguistics and politics II:
Macedonian Language

Greece's stance towards
its Macedonian minority
and the neighbouring
Republic of Macedonia.

Lawed Arguments
and Omitted Truths

R. Nikovski: Memorandum to the European Parliament
Facts behind the Greek politics towards Macedonia
English Macedonian

"Proposed disciplinary measures to stamp out the Macedonian minority in Greece by the National Security Service"

Center Maurits Coppieters

Greek Anti–Nationalistic Movement

Macedonian Forum for politics and history

2008 OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting

Working Session 2: Fundamental freedoms I
Freedom of Media and Freedom of Expression

Statement of Rainbow – Organisation of the Macedonian Minority of Greece

September 30, 2008

OSCE

Thank you Mr Moderator.

I am here today to speak about the lack of freedom of expression and free media for the Macedonian minority of Greece.

Let me start by stating that in 2008, it would not be an unusual thing to hear ethnic music and singing in a minority language. For instance it would be quite normal to listen to Greek songs/Greek language on the radio in southern Albania or in Istanbul, Turkey.

Equally, one would expect that there would be nothing strange about hearing Macedonian songs on a Greek radio station. Well, surprise, surprise! The year before last, a private amateur radio station tried to broadcast Macedonian language songs in the town around the town of Negush/Naoussa in Northern Greece. Without warning the broadcasting of Macedonian language broadcasts was shut down by Greek authorities. The police entered the studio of the radio station, ended the emission and confiscated all Macedonian language material from the station. The same afternoon the local policeman visited owner of the station, Mr Aris Votaris, at his home. The police intimidated Mr Votaris and told him not to, and I quote, “Do ever again broadcast these dirty Skopian songs”. The term “Skopjan songs” is a derogatory term for the Macedonian language.

The situation with public broadcasting in minority language is even worse. The new Law No. 3592/2007 is not in line with the right to the free flow of information, freedom of expression and pluralism and makes the appropriate urgent changes given that the said law fails to consent to the use of minority language in the media.

In drafting the Guidelines on the use of Minority Languages in the Broadcast Media, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities has stated that:

“Access to the media in one's own language is particularly important for persons belonging to national minorities. Being able to read magazines and newspapers, listen to the radio and watch TV programmes in minority languages is vital for maintaining and developing their cultural and linguistic identity. Furthermore, it determines whether minorities have access to social, economic and political opportunities.”

Indeed many OSCE member states have implemented these guidelines. Regrettably, Greece remains one of the states which has thus far ignored these guidelines with respect to Macedonian minority media. In fact the Greek government is not even willing to entertain the idea of Macedonian language media. The well known political party of the Macedonian minority, the European Free Alliance – Vinozhito has on a number of occasions written to the Greek Ministry of Communication and Media to request the introduction of the Macedonian language in public radio and television in Greece. There has never been a response by the officials to any letter sent.*

So we ask the Greek delegation today, is it the official policy of Greece to ignore the Guidelines on the use of Minority Languages in the Broadcast Media the High Commissioner?

And finally, does the Greek government intend to at least meet with representatives of the Macedonian minority of Greece, to at least discuss the issue of Macedonian language broadcasting?

Thank you Mr Moderator.

* At this point in the presentation the Representative of Rainbow showed the audience the letter that was sent to the Greek government.

Back to previous page

EFA-Rainbow Archives

EFA 2019 MANIFESTO

Γιατί να ψηφίσω
την ΕΕΣ-Ουράνιο Τόξο

Click here
to read the Abecedar!

Promotion of the
Macedonian Language
Primer at the OSCE HDIM

Greek irredentism and expansionism officially sanctioned by the Greek Parliament

Letter to Carla del Ponte,
Chief Prosecutor for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

The Yugoslavian Crisis

Document of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs
Related to the article - The obvious linguistic particularity - Eletherotypia, 18/11/2006

The ten Greek myths
on the “Macedonian issue”
By IOS team – Eletherotypia, 23/10/2005

Who says there are no
minority languages in Greece?
The "secret" census
in north Greece, in 1920

Map showing the Cultures and Languages in the E.U.

Council of Europe
Framework convention for the Protection of national minorities

Συνέντευξη: Ευάγγελος Κωφός, Έλληνας ιστορικός
Δημοκρατία της Μακεδονίας - Σκόπια είναι όνομα που εκφράζει την ταυτότητά σας

Ο Παύλος Φιλίποβ Βοσκόπουλος απαντά στον Ευάγγελο Κωφό.
«Το Μακεδονικό ζήτημα είναι η αχίλλειος πτέρνα του ελληνικού μύθου».

Home • About Us • News • Reports • Media • Links • Contact

© 1997-2015 EFA-Rainbow, All Rights Reserved.