WASHINGTON, DC – The Hellenic organizations of the Metropolitan Washington Area demonstrated in front of the Embassy of Greece on July 5 to protest the Prespes pre-Agreement between the countries of Greece and FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). The Agreement, which has not yet been approved, will give major concessions to FYROM to the detriment of Greece. The group voiced their

strong opposition to the recognition of FYROM as the Republic of North Macedonia, a name that is not part of the Slavic culture, but is undeniably and irrevocably Greek.

The protestors sang the Greek National Anthem and Μακεδονία Ξακουστί (Macedonia Xakousti, “the famous”) with enthusiasm and with the conviction that truth and

justice will prevail. Attempts to meet with the Ambassador of Greece were unsuccessful. Many passersby honked their horns in solidarity. The organizers told The National Herald that additional events are planned for the near future.

The Prespes pre-Agreement seeks to give major concessions to the Slavic government of FYROM that are detrimental to the long-term viability of Greece and its citizens. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was elected to serve the will of the Greek people, millions of whom have taken to the streets of Greece and countries around the world to protest against this Agreement. Yet his actions, as evidenced in the Prespes pre-Agreement, are contrary to the will of the people.

FYROM is a Slavic country that shares Greece’s northern border. In the 1940’s, Yugoslav Prime Minister Tito established Macedonia as one of Yugoslavia’s republics. He created a Macedonian language and consciousness in Yugoslavia as a pretext to annex the province of Macedonia which is located in northern Greece, but he failed. When Yugoslavia broke apart in 1991, this part of Yugoslavia continued to insist that it be recognized with the Greek name Macedonia and it continued to harbor irredentist ambitions in its Constitution, despite Greek objections.

Today, the Prespes pre-Agreement threatens the territorial, historical, and cultural integrity of Greece, gives concessions to FYROM that are not in the best interests of Greece, and threatens the peace and stability of the region.  We object to this pre-Agreement because:

• The Slavic country of FYROM will be recognized with the name “The Republic of Macedonia” which is Greek in origin and is already the name of the northern province of Greece which abuts FYROM.
• The Prespes pre-Agreement attempts to re-define what the terms Macedonia and Macedonian mean, even though historians, scholars, and archaeologists from the most prestigious institutions worldwide have all attested that Macedonia was and is Greek.
• It gives the Prime Ministers of Greece and FYROM the sole authority to approve the interpretation of historical events which will allow political parties to re-write history at their will and provides for the revision of school textbooks which could conform to political ideologies.
• It allows for the citizens of FYROM to vote on the Prespes pre-Agreement in a referendum, but does not give the same rights to the citizens of Greece.

For more information or to request support for a march in your area, please contact:
Dr. Panagiotis Baltatzis by phone: 410-493-9133.