There has been no change in the expansionist policy of Greece since it was founded in 1832. The new Macedonian Question that has emerged in the last decade of the 20th century carries striking similarities with the Macedonian Question that emerged at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries: The root cause of both is the expansionist aims of Greece and Serbia in the Balkans.

The crux of the Macedonian Question is the tri-partition of Macedonia between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. When Greece obtained more than half of Macedonia in 1913, the Greeks were the least numerous ethnic group in the region after Macedonians, Albanians and Turks.

Despite the exchange of populations between Greece-Turkey and Greece-Bulgaria, and constant efforts of assimilation by Greek governments, there is still a Macedonian minority living in Greece which is seeking the recognition of its rights by Greece, and has brought its situation to the attention of international organizations.

The mainstay of the Greek claims on Macedonia rests on some distorted historical "proofs" and archaeological findings attributed to ancient history. However, the ancient Macedonians, who were called "alien" by the Greek city-states, were in no way related to the "Ancient Greeks". Alexander the Great extended his empire to India not with the collaboration or help of the Ancient Greek city-states, but despite them.

Macedonia in the following centuries was never ruled by the Greeks. In fact, after the Roman occupation in the 2nd century BC there was no Greek state until the 19th century. The new Greek state was neither related to the "Ancient Greeks" nor to their city-states.

However, the acquisition of "northern Macedonia" continues to be one of the objectives of the Greek "Megali Idea". The former Greek "Public Enlightenment" minister Georgios Yorgala has stated that "some parts of Northern Macedonia are within the scope of the "New Megali Idea"," an improved version of the "Megali Idea".

Greece claims that the Turks of Western Thrace are "Islamized Hellenes" or "Muslim Greeks". On the other side, the Christian minorities in Greece have been subject to an assimilation operation of "Greekness under the cover of Orthodoxy". However, they are not totally assimilated, and in recent years they have started to seek the recognition of their rights by the Greek authorities. The Macedonians initiated their struggle.

The Albanians too established their organizations in north-western Greece. In the Western Anatolian Islands, autonomy movements revived: in Chios, the "Chios Struggle Movement" (ASAS) emerged.

It should also be noted that a similarity in the Greek approach to the Republic of Macedonia can be seen in the Greek policy regarding Turkey, Albania and Bulgaria. The dream of the foundation of an imaginary "Pontous State" along the Turkish Black Sea coast continues to be cultivated, as is the Greek claim on Southern Albania (so called "Northern Epirus"), and the Rhodope region in Bulgaria.

Despite all the Greek propaganda efforts in the last three years, with millions of dollars spent and the national feelings of the Greek people deliberately agitated, by late 1994 the Republic of Macedonia had been recognized by 18 countries under its Constitutional name, and by some 60 countries in total. It was admitted to the UN on April 8, 1993, and international organizations have also started to recognize the Republic of Macedonia, most recently by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the World Soccer Federation.

The Republic of Macedonia was granted "non-voting membership" at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on May 14, 1993. The Republic of Macedonia, which has proved its adherence to democracy in the last three years despite the continuing Yugoslav Crisis around it and the Greek intransigence, has an important place not only in the new Balkans, but also in the "New European Architecture" and pan-European institutions.

The Balkans is a part of Europe and the Balkan security is a collective good for all Europeans: Let us not fall into the trap of "long memories, short fuses", and the repetition of historical mistakes: If Serbia is allowed to achieve its goal in Bosnia-Herzegovina, it will continue its goal of "Greater Serbia" with the support of Greece in Macedonia too.

Violent conflict over Macedonia continues to remain a possibility, which means a third Balkan War. And a third Balkan war would invariably involve all Balkan states. However, there is no "historical inevitability" for the "Macedonian Question" to linger on. The community of nations and the international organizations should extend their hand of friendship and recognition to the Republic of Macedonia in order to prevent the region from "relapsing into age-old hatreds". Let the Republic of Macedonia be the rising sun in the Balkans, and the "Macedonian Question" be left in the pages of history books.

< Return to Index or Next Chapter >