[ALBSA-Info] Are Vlachs in Greece a Minority or Not?

[Agron Alibali]

Subject:  PROTEST RESOLUTION BY 31 VLACH MAYORS AND
COMMUNE PRESIDENTS AGAINST STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON
GREECE

 
MPA

PROTEST RESOLUTION BY 31 VLACH MAYORS AND COMMUNE
PRESIDENTS AGAINST STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT
(original Greek text at:
http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc__id=17444455)

Thessaloniki, 28 February 2001 (23:27 UTC+2)

The recently issued U.S. State Department report
provoked a vehement reaction from 31 Vlachophone
mayors and presidents of mountain communes in Greece.
A resolution passed today by the mayors and community
presidents cites the following:

Concerning the recent report by the American State
Department on our country, we the undersigned Mayors
and Commune Presidents, as elected representatives of
the Local Government Organization, state that:

1st We protest the direct or indirect characterization
of Vlachophone Greeks (Vlachs) as a national,
linguistic or other minority.

2nd We declare that we ourselves, the Vlachophone
Greeks, have never requested to be recognized by our
country as a minority because we have always been a
historically and politically integral part of the
Hellenic nation.

3rd The existence and use of a second linguistic
idiom, the consequence of a protracted Greco-Roman
cultural tradition on mainland Greece, does not
constitute a reason to characterize it as a minority
language with the familiar political and other
repercussions this entails.

4th We condemn any and all exploitation of a purely
cultural element for political purposes or other
motives, and its conversion into a factor to
ethnically or otherwise differentiate the Vlachophone
Greeks.

5th We express our displeasure and question forthwith
the data upon which the authors of this report have
based their findings, and challenge them to produce
this documentation.

6th We categorically declare that we will act as a
body to oppose whomever intentionally misinforms and
misrepresents the historical and current facts
concerning the collective national identity of
Vlachophone Greeks.

This protest resolution has been forwarded to the
United States State Department and communicated to the
President of the Hellenic Republic, the Speaker of
Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the
Official Opposition, Political Party Leaders, and the
Council of Europe, and is signed by the following
Mayors and Commune Presidents.

1. Ioannis Hasiotis, Mayor of Veria, Imathia
2. Achilleas Evangelou, Mayor of Kleisoura, Kastoria
3. Athanasios (Nikos) Kapsalis, Mayor of Livadi,
Larissa
4. Alexandros Kachrimanis, Mayor of Metsovo, Ioannina
5. Nikolaos Yioutikas, Mayor of Axios, Thessaloniki
6. Dimitrios Koulinas, Mayor of Polykastro, Kilki
7. Yeorgios Yitsos, Mayor of Evropos, Kilki
8. Yeorgios Makris, Mayor of Prosotsani, Drama
9. Nikolaos Zacharakis, Mayor of Kleinovos, Trikala
10. Christos Malakasiotis, Mayor of Malakasi, Trikala
11. Dimitris Basios, Mayor of Ano Pogoni, Ioannina
12. Sotiris Spyridakis, Mayor of Anatoliko Zagori,
Ioannina
13. Ioannis Papapoulios, Mayor of Goryiani, Grevena
14. Ioannis Filos, Mayor of Kastania, Grevena
15. Alkiviadis Lantavos, Community President of
Matsouki, Ioannina
16. Dimitrios Frangos, Community President of Pefka,
Thessaloniki
17. Christos Nitsiakos, Community President of
Aetomilitsa, Ioannina 
18. Nikolaos Mertzos, Community President of Nymphaio,
Florina
19. Stergios Raptis, Community President of Greater
Aspropotamos, Trikala
20. Konstantinos Moutsioulis, Community President of
Fourka, Ioannina
21. Achilleas Dokos, Community President of Avdella,
Grevena
22. Efthimios Goulas, Community President of
Distratos, Ioannina
23. Athanasios Stangoyiannis, Community President of
Vovousa, Ioannina
24. Ioannis Kapetis, Community President of Milea,
Ioannina
25. Nikolaos Gatzoyias, Community President of
Kalarita, Ioannina
26. Ioannis Argyris, Community President of Syrakos,
Ioannina
27. Yeorgios Platsoukas, Community President of
Vathypedo, Ioannina
28. Konstantinos Tzimas, Community President of
Samarina, Grevena
29. Apostolos Zioboras, Community President of
Perivoli, Grevena
30. Panayotis Tsakalis, Community President of
Grammos, Kastoria
31. Fotis Kilipiris, Community President of Livadi,
Kilki  

=======

Subject:  STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON GREECE PROTESTED
BY PANHELLENIC UNION OF VLACH CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS

 
MPA


STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT PROTESTED BY PANHELLENIC UNION
OF VLACH CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS
(original in Greek at:
http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc__id=174756)


Trikala, 1 March 2001 (22:55 UTC+2)

Concerning the characterization of Vlachophone Greeks
as a linguistic, national or other minority by the
U.S. State Department report on our country, a protest
resolution by the Panhellenic Union of Vlach Cultural
Societies was issued.

The Union declares that Vlachophone Greeks have never
requested to be recognized by the state as a minority
because they are a historically and politically
integral part of the Hellenic nation. They condemn any
and all exploitation of a purely cultural element for
political purposes or other motives, and its
conversion into a factor of ethnic differentiation.

Finally, the Union declares that it will oppose and
counter whoever intentionally misinforms and
misrepresents the historical and current facts
concerning the collective national identity of
Vlachophone Greeks.

This protest resolution has been forwarded to the
United States State Department and communicated to the
President of the Hellenic Republic, the President of
Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the
Opposition, Political Party Leaders, and the Council
of Europe.
 


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