Monday, August 31, 2009

Should Hellas (Greece) block Skopje’s European Union membership bid?

With no solution in sight to the ongoing name dispute between Athens and Skopje, the question as to whether or not Skopje should be allowed membership into the European Union has now appeared. Is Skopje ready to join with the rest of Civilized Europe inside the EU? In my opinion, the answer is clearly no. What has Skopje done to deserve consideration?

What about Skopje’s Human Rights abuses towards its Albanian and Roma minorities? Is this how a modern Democracy and potential European Union member treats its minorities? What about Skopje’s denial of its indigenous Macedonian population in Pelagonia and its refusal to allow them to openly proclaim their Hellenic identity? Again this doesn’t sound like the type of potential member that civilized Europe should be interested in letting into their organization.

Skopje’s Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki told Reuters today,

"The only shift was for the worse in their (Greek) attitude. They have toughened their position. We are concerned of a possibility of a second Greek blockade related to our opening EU accession talks"

What does he expect when Skopje continues their Anti-Hellenic propaganda and revisionist campaign towards Hellas? Naming their roads, stadiums and airports after ancient Hellenic heroes like Alexander the Great and his father Philip the Second. How should Hellas react when Skopje still flies the WIPO-protected Hellenic Vergina Sun Flag inside their borders, both inside and outside the Boris Trajkovski Sports stadium, as well as still displaying the symbol on the Makedonska Kamenica Municipality flag? Skopje can continue playing games and abusing its ethnic and indigenous minorities, they just shouldn’t expect EU membership to be waiting for them. In my opinion the only option before Hellas is to block Skopje’s EU membership. It is the morally right thing to do.