MHRMI - Press Release MHRMI Condemns Latest Greek Tactic in Name Dispute with Macedonia November 23, 2009 Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) - Press Release Toronto, Canada - Greece has dragged Iceland, and its potential European Union membership, into the nonsensical name dispute that it initiated with the Republic of Macedonia. In its latest transparent display of xenophobia, Greece has threatened Iceland's EU bid because its ambassador to the US planned to screen a documentary about Macedonia's pursuit of recognition under its constitutional name. The film, "A Name is a Name", is directed by Icelandic filmmaker Sigurjon Einarsson. In a statement to MHRMI, Producer Jason Miko said, “Why are the Greeks so afraid of a film they have not even seen? It is ironic that the self-proclaimed ‘birthplace of democracy' is so frightened of a film that they want it banned even before seeing it. But this is typical Greek behavior. It is worth remembering that their veto of Macedonia at the NATO Bucharest Summit in 2008 was not the first. In 2003, Greece blackmailed the entire EU with a threatened veto over the then-candidate countries (including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic) unless they included Cyprus. The EU acquiesced to Greece’s demands. While I hope they do not put a veto on Macedonia’s and Iceland’s EU aspirations, I would not be surprised. I suspect Greece will continue to threaten and blackmail the EU and NATO until someone, somewhere, someday stands up to them and deals with them. Their behavior is typical of a neighborhood bully.” Greece refuses to accept the existence of ethnic Macedonians and the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia. In addition to vetoing Macedonia's entry into NATO, Greece persecutes its Macedonian minority despite worldwide condemnation, including a recent United Nations report and several European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgments against it. MHRMI has repeatedly asked the following question: Will the European Union finally take concrete steps to reprimand Greece or will it continue to turn a blind eye and allow its member-states to be handcuffed by Greece's xenophobic policies? MHRMI calls on the rest of the international community, and EU in particular, to finally put an end to the irrational "name dispute" and immediately recognize Macedonia under its constitutional name. 130 countries have already done so, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and China. MHRMI also reiterates its call for Macedonia to cease all negotiations with Greece over its name. ### Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) has been active on human and national rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed peoples since 1986. For more information, please visit www.mhrmi.org, or contact MHRMI at 416-850-7125, or info@mhrmi.org.