Greece: News from Macedonians and Jehovah's Witnesses
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Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 08:32:49 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Greece: News from Macedonians and Jehovah's Witnesses
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Panayote Elias Dimitras <[email protected]>
Greece: News from Macedonians and Jehovah's Witnesses
ELECTION OF NEW PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE FOR THE HOME OF MACEDONIAN
CULTURE
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The Home of Macedonian Culture had not been registered for years by
the Greek courts. The European Court of Human Rights, in July 1998,
convicted Greece for violation of freedom of association following an
appeal by the Home. Greece stated it will comply with the decision.
See a related GHM release:
http://www.greekhelsinki.gr/english/pressrelease/13-7-98.html
and the Court's verdict:
http://www.dhcour.coe.fr/eng/SIDIROPOULOS%20&%20OTHERS%20ENG.html
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February 13, 1999
On Saturday, February 13, 1999, the Board of Directors of the Home of
Macedonian Culture convened a meeting and held elections. The
following appointments were made:
Ilias Dafopoulos - President
Petros Dimtsis - Vice-President
Georgia Petropolou - Secretary
Panagiotis Anastasiadis - Treasurer
Elected to the Board of Control were:
Antonis Tasopoulos
Anastasiadis Konstantinopoulos
Executive Members also include:
Eleftherios Mantzas
Hristos Sidiropoulos
Vasilios Kagkas
All appointments were determined in accordance with the statues and
by-laws of the organization. A new Board of Directors will be elected
at the Annual General Meeting next year.
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AN OFFICIAL REQUEST REGARDING THE USE OF THE MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE HAS
BEEN RAISED BEFORE THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
February, 8 1999
RAINBOW was recently in contact with European Union Parliamentarians
as well as with representatives of other European institutions. As a
result of this cooperation a member of the European Parliament, Madame
Nelly Maes of Belgium, presented an application before the Commission
on January 21, 1999.
For a facsimile of the application click here:
http://www.florina.org/form.htm
The application was in accordance with parliamentary procedure and was
in regard to the use of the Macedonian language in Greece. This is the
first time since Greece became a member of the European Union that a
request relating to the use of the Macedonian language in Greece has
been raised at such a high level. A formal response is expected from
the Commission.
Translation of the question raised before the Council:
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
APPLICATION FOR RAISING A PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION
To: The Council of Ministers
Author: Nelly Maes
Request of the Slav-Macedonian Minority in Greece
Is it possible for the Council of Ministers to agree with the
following requests of the Slav-Macedonian minority in Greece? If it
does agree, then what will it undertake to ensure that the Greek
government will satisfy these legitimate requests? If the Council does
not agree then what are the objections?
1. Recognition of the Macedonian language as an official minority
language in Greece.
2. Implementation of the Macedonian literary language in the
educational system of Greece, specifically in elementary and secondary
education, and parallel with it the opening of Macedonian language
cathedra for university education.
3. Establishing the Macedonian language in the government controlled
mass media including radio and television programs that would be
broadcast in those regions of Greece where the Macedonian language is
spoken.
Signed by Parliamentarian Nelly Maes, Dated: January 21, 1999
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HUMAN RIGHTS WITHOUT FRONTIERS
RUE DE LA PRESSE 5
B-1000 BRUSSELS
Phone: 32 2 219 88 80 - Fax: 32 2 219 02 85
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PRESS AND INFORMATION SERVICE
Section "Religious Intolerance and Discrimination"
February 23, 1999
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GREECE
Kokkinakis and Kokkinakis Case
He Lived and Died a Free Man
Newspaper "Eletherotypia" January 29, 1999
HRWF (23.02.1999) - Minos Kokkinakis died yesterday at the age of 88.
His case led to the first and last judgment issued by the European
Court of Human Rights on the subject of religious freedom in our
country.
This judgement in favor of Kokkinakis was issued in Strasbourg in May
of 1993 with a majority vote of six to three; and his attorney was
Ph�don Vegleris.
Our country was ordered to pay the sum of 3,500,000 million drachmas
(approx. $11,700) for the violation of Article 9 of the European
Convention of Human Rights (freedom of thought, conscience and
religion).
Kokkinakis had been arrested and charged with proselytism, in
violation of the Metaxa law dating back to 1938-39. He had been exiled
four times to various islands during the period 1938-39 on account of
his religious convictions, was arrested 60 times and had served 6,5
years in prison.
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_______________________________________
Greek Helsinki Monitor &
Minority Rights Group - Greece
P.O. Box 51393
GR-14510 Kifisia
Greece
Tel. +30-1-620.01.20
Fax +30-1-807.57.67
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.greekhelsinki.gr
_______________________________________
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