I am curious as to why, of all the various national groups in the world, this site allows the Slav-macedonians to be featured so prominently?

Why not focus on Israel, Turkey, Sri Lanka or China? This is where REAL human rights are being effected.

Good story, Ordan.

Young Savvas, mate, you need to change your routine... Go easy with the "slav" line. It would be better if Greece and Macedonia became good neighbours. After all, Germany apologised to Israel after WWII. Japan and Australia have buried the hatchet. The injustices suffered by ethnic Macedonians at the hands of Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria are numerous but, mate, we have to move forward... There is no point to making claims and counter claims... No one wins.

We have to become friends. Ultra-nationalism of any sort is a one way street, it leads to disaster and is dangerous. Look at Greece's economic situation.

There are many Greek businessmen who have set up factories and businesses in the Republic of Macedonia and are doing well with a well trained and lowly paid workforce.

Unofficially or privately they will tell you there is no problem. Officially, in order not to be accused of "treason" by fanatics they keep quiet.

This isn't a competition where winner takes all. Macedonia wants to become a member of the EU and NATO. It has a population of 2 million. It has no territorial ambitions towards its neighbours.

Can you see that Greek paranoia pushes Macedonia closer to Turkey, Greece's rival. By Greek foreign policy staking everything on Macedonia, can you see that Greece is using up all its favours with the EU and the US. Mate, why risk something when there is nothing to gain. Who is to say, the EU and the US will say to Greece, we've tolerated your antics and bailed you out economically now cut a deal with Turkey over Cyprus.

cheers
Sasha Uzunov
independent film maker

Team Uzunov... I have seen this trick used before for ONE man operations (ironically by dodgy Greeks). The Neo Con lessons are being learnt quite well I see.

Personally, I do not give a flying fig what you call yourselves.

However, its a bit hard to become friends when things like this are revealed.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/macedonian-newspaper-did-not-incite-race-hate-says-vcat/story-fn7x8me2-1226131670914

Yes, and how great that FYROM should cosy up to Turkey. So in FYROM's way of thinking, my oppressor's oppresor is my friend.

Although I am not from a Macedonian background, I have noticed that there is a pandering by many Australian politicians towards the so-called 'Greek Community in Australia'. Many in this group seem to bear a grudge towards the Australian descendants of migrants from Macedonia. Why? It's all Greek to me!

Ah, young Savvas, it seems paranoia dies hard ! you forgot to mention ultra right wing Greek nationalist newspaper STOHOS regularly used to post pictures of Australian-Macedonian community leaders with a reward for their execution. The paper was regularly circulated in Australia, despite complaints to the Australian Federal Police, counter-terrorism squad.

Mate, as I said to you, we can spend eternity throwing claim and counter claim... You're missing the point. The time has come for friendship, not a competition with winner take all.

cheers
Sasha Uzunov
independent film maker

Maybe it's me, and I'm missing something really obvious here.

But... what exactly are the Macedonians, as represented by the article writer, asking for from the Australian Government?

"The community faces a range of challenges and issues that are of critical importance such as the teaching of the Macedonian language and Macedonian studies at Australian universities, aged care, social inclusion, community development and nurturing closer relations between Australia and Macedonia."

The only Macedonia-related issues - surely? - are the first and the last.

I don't believe the government has any role to play in the establishment of Macedonian language courses.

What's next? Government-sponsored Welsh classes, to commemorate our Prime Minister's heritage? If there were laws that prohibit the language being taught, that would be a different matter, but as far as I am aware there is no such impediment.

The last, which is a wishy-washy "nurturing closer relations" request, is qualitative - how much "closer" is necessary, and why? After all, there is only so much capacity for nurture, for a country with two-thirds the population of Wales. Goodwill, sure, in bundles. But nurture?

Why?

And the other requests are nationality-neutral - aged care, social inclusion, community development etc. So the question need to be asked, are these folk asking for special treatment by our government? And if so, on what grounds do they feel justified asking the rest of us to pay for it?

I'm certainly don't believe these issues can be described as being of "critical importance" in anything but the most general sense. If it is just a matter of another single-interest group holding out their collective hand for some money, I'm afraid I'm just not interested.