Ethnic Macedonians protest in Melbourne, 24th May

24.05.2008
Thousands of Macedonian Australians have marched through Melbourne demanding the federal government formally recognise Macedonia's sovereignty.
Organisers said an estimated 20,000 protesters turned out at the city's Carlton Gardens for a rally before the crowd marched to the Victorian Parliament.
Rally spokesman Jordan Gruev said the Australian government had failed to recognise the Republic of Macedonia in its own right, adding that references such as "former Yugoslavia" and "Slav-Macedonians" were insulting, derogatory and "an abuse of our human rights".
"(Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd and his foreign minister (Stephen Smith) can stand up to China, a modern superpower, and confront it over the Tibet issue, he can stand up for the East Timorese and he can stand up to the Burmese authorities but he can't stand up for Macedonia," Mr Gruev said.
"Referring to our people as 'Slav-Macedonians' is insulting and derogatory. It's time the Australian government reversed its outdated and unfair foreign policy towards the Republic of Macedonia."
Mr Gruev said many Macedonians who held Australian citizenship had also been denied entry to their birthplace by Greece, despite travelling on Australian passports.
Protest organisers also urged Mr Rudd to encourage the Greek government to follow the prime minister's example in saying sorry to Australia's Aborigines and apologise to indigenous Macedonians in Greece whose human rights had been violated.
"We have human rights too and we should be allowed to visit our birthplace if we want," Mr Gruev added.
"This protest will go on until there is change - we will never waver."

The Republic of Macedonia is involved in a naming dispute with Greece

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