Dear Mr. Brooks (State MP Bundoora),

I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. 

Recently we saw the arrival of the Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Nikola Gruevski, to Australia to sign a bilateral Social Security agreement between FYROM and Australia.   

Whilst all members of the Greek-Australian community of Melbourne and Australia received him in good faith, the Prime Minister’s sojourn carried with it couched overtures of neo-fascism, aggression and racial intolerance, qualities which have no place in contemporary Australia.  

Nowhere was this more palpable than in his words “Here in Australia, the Macedonians have the unique opportunity to live altogether as one; the Aegean Macedonians and the Pirinian Macedonians. That doesn’t happen in your mother country”, list of related articles/links:
(http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/125744, http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/10/29/…president-says, http://paper.standartnews.com/en/art…&article=29849, http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109419, http://www.ana-mpa.gr/anaweb/user/sh…65&service=142). 

The use of the tenure “Aegean Macedonia” when referring to the province of Greek Macedonia is particularly disconcerting because it infers part of a greater whole, keeping with the ultranationist idiom of a “Greater Macedonian Empire” intended to cast doubt on Greek sovereignty in Macedonian territory.    

In general terms, the statement is quite expository in nature, revealing an organised campaign against the Hellenic Republic’s national identity and impending territorial claims against the Greek province of Macedonia in the near future. 

Various sources reveal that you were present when Prime Minister Gruesvki gave this unwarranted discourse to members of the Australian public. Given the nature of the radically controversial and vilifying comments against Greece and Bulgaria, it astounded me that a man of your standing, a man with a greater sphere of influence than the average citizen, remained present. 

As a dire consequence, what might have been an honest mistake on your part–a temporary blunder–has managed to ruse the entire Greek-Australian community of Melbourne. I urge you strongly to issue an altruistic statement aimed at disambiguating your connection with Prime Minister Gruevski’s insinuations of modern devolution. Furthermore, this action on your part would stand as a gesture of both respect and good will towards the Greeks of Melbourne by pacifying their budding unrest.

My Sincerest Regards,

Paul Kiritsis

Executive Director of the Australian Macedonian Advisory Council (AMAC)

info@macedonian.com.au

www.macedonian.com.au