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Gatherings of Macedonians around the World
Ever since the indenpendence of the Republic of Macedonia, Macedonians all around the world have been voicing their concerns over Macedonian
constitutional name, over the poor treatment of Macedonian minorities in neighbouring countries and everything else that would indanger the
fundamental human and national rights for all ethnic Macedonians, including the right of freedom of expression and association.
The following videos are of gatherings and meetings of Macedonians.
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The Macedonians in Greece
Although ethnic Macedonians in northern Greece make up a large minority with their own language and culture, their internationally-recognized
human rights and even their existence are vigorously denied by the Greek government. Free expression is restricted; several Macedonians have
been prosecuted and convicted for the peaceful expression of their views. Moreover, ethnic Macedonians are discriminated against by the
government's failure to permit the teaching of the Macedonian language. And ethnic Macedonians, particularly rights activists, are harassed by
the government - followed and threatened by security forces - and subjected to economic and social pressures resulting from this harassment.
All of these actions have led to a marked climate of fear in which a large number of ethnic Macedonians are reluctant to assert their Macedonian
identity or to express their views openly. Ethnic Macedonian political refugees who fled northern Greece after the Greek Civil War of 1946-49,
as well as their descendants who identify themselves as Macedonians, are denied permission to regain their citizenship, to resettle in, or even
to visit northern Greece. By contrast, all of these are possible for political refugees who define themselves as Greeks. Greek courts have
denied permission to establish a "Center for Macedonian Culture." Ultimately, the government is pursuing every avenue to deny the Macedonians of
Greece their ethnic identity.
The following videos depict Macedonians and their lives in Greece, in the past and present.
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The Macedonians in Bulgaria
The Bulgarian government refuses to acknowledge the existence of the large Macedonian minority in Pirin Macedonia (now a part of Bulgaria since
the partition of Macedonia in 1912/13) and continues to violate its basic human rights. These are the main reasons why Bulgaria constantly denies
the OMO "Ilinden" - PIRIN's party registration. The European Commission has called several times on Bulgaria to respect the ruling of the European
Court of Human Rights and to recognize OMO "Ilinden" - PIRIN. However, on September 4, 2007, the Sofia District Court in Bulgaria again denied OMO
"Ilinden" - PIRIN's party registration. Word from the party and the European Court of Human Rights is that it was yet again politically motivated
so that the Macedonians could not participate in the next month's local elections.
The following videos describe the life of the Macedonian minority in Bugaria and the problems that the party OMO "Ilinden" - PIRIN has registering
its party in this country.
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The Macedonians in Albania
Albania recognizes the Macedonians as an ethnic minority and delivers primary education in the Macedonian language in the border regions (Mala
Prespa, Golo Brdo, Gora) where most ethnic Macedonians live. In the 1989 census, 4,697 people declared themselves Macedonians, but Macedonian
organizations allege that the government undercounts the number of ethnic Macedonians in Albania and that they are politically underrepresented
- there are no ethnic Macedonians in the Albanian parliament.
Some say that there has been disagreement among the Slavophone Albanian citizens about their being members of a Macedonian nation as a significant
number of these Slavophones are Torbesh and self-identify as Albanians. External estimates on the population of Macedonians in Albania include
10,000, whereas Macedonian sources have claimed that there are 120,000 - 350,000 ethnic Macedonians in Albania.
The following videos describe the life of the Macedonians minority in Albania.
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