Toronto Greeks joined the thousands in Athens who rallied on Sunday in protest against the use of the term ‘Macedonia’ in any settlement the Greek government pursues with FYROM to end the decades-long name dispute.
The two countries, with mediation by the UN, have been trying to speed up negotiations this year to settle the dispute which resurfaced in 1991. The controversy has frustrated Greece’s small northern neighbors’ hopes of joining the EU and NATO.
In Toronto, members of the Greek community gathered at Alexander the Greek Parkette at Danforth and Logan avenues for a two-hour rally.
Inside Toronto reported: “Andonis Artemakis, Greek Community of Toronto president, said the dispute is about more than simply the name, Macedonia.”
“Macedonia is Greece. It speaks Greek. It is Greek. We hope it remains so,” he said.
The rally organizers posted on Facebook that “they support the Greek people in their action to protect the heritage of Greece and Macedonia”.
“We will fight with all our might against the unacceptable, unlawful, treacherous act of Greek politicians to surrender the name, history, civilization and soul of Macedonia and Greece,” rally organizer, the Teachers’ Council of the Greek Community of Toronto, said in a Facebook post.
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