AHC DENOUNCES FOREIGN INTERFERENCE REGARDING AUSTRALIAN POLICY ON MACEDONIA

15/02/12

Source:  Australian Hellenic Council NSW Inc.

Australian Hellenic Council NSW Inc.

Αυστραλιανό Ελληνικό Συμβούλιο ΝΝΟ
PO BOX 433 EARLWOOD NSW 2206
Incorporation Number: 2299207
E: nsw@helleniccouncil.org.au W: http://www.helleniccouncil.org.au

The peak coordinating body of the Australian Hellenic community

MEDIA RELEASE

AHC DENOUNCES FOREIGN INTERFERENCE REGARDING AUSTRALIAN POLICY ON MACEDONIA

Sydney, 14 February 2012: Despite claims by Slavomacedonian activists that Australia has ‘recognised’ them as ‘Macedonian’, there has been no change in Australian Federal government policy.

In a recent media release, titled ‘The Australian Government announces policy shift and recognises Macedonian community’, the Australian Slavomacedonian Human Rights Committee (‘AMHRC’) was ‘pleased to announce that after a sustained lobbying campaign, the Australian Government has finally withdrawn its discriminatory and racist “Slav Macedonian” Directive’.

‘It is deeply disappointing that correspondence between Foreign Ministry staff and a Slavomacedonian group is being used in a disinformation campaign aimed against the Australian Hellenic community’, stated AHC (NSW) Coordinator Mr George Vellis.

What is of most concern to the AHC is the open interference in domestic Australian policy by foreign diplomats stationed in Canberra. Specifically, the involvement of the Slavomacedonian and Turkish diplomatic missions in the lobbying efforts of Slavomacedonian groups including the ‘AMHRC’.

For example, in October 2011, Australian federal parliamentarians met with Slavomacedonian activists in Parliament House, Canberra. The group was accompanied by the Slavomacedonian Ambassador to Canberra, Mr Pero Stojanovski, and the First Secretary of the Turkish Embassy in Canberra, Ms Sibel Muderisoglu.

The delegation was led by Mr Milorad Dodevski, a Member of Parliament in Skopje, and representatives of the Washington D.C.-based ‘United Slavomacedonian Diaspora’ (UMD) organisation.

The Australian Hellenic community respects the rights of all community groups in Australia to meet with our elected representatives. However, it is unacceptable for the representatives of foreign governments actively guide and participate in efforts to determine Australian domestic and foreign policy.

The Australian Hellenic Council is the peak public affairs organisation of the Australian Hellenic community in our state. Amongst the issues we operate around is the defense of the Hellenic heritage and identity of Macedonia.

The Australian Hellenic community respects the right of all sections of Australian society to self-identification. This includes the right of Hellene or Greek Macedonians – those from the geographic region of Macedonia – to be identified distinctly from Slavomacedonians.

PHOTO: Report in the Slavomacedonian newspaper TODAY-DENES about the visit to Federal Parliament by Slavomacedonian activists together with diplomats from Skopje and Ankara.