Two middle-aged members of the municipality workers union POE-OTA and one teacher were arrested on Friday in Thessaloniki for the harassment of German Consul Wolfgang Hoelscher-Obermaier one day earlier. More detentions are arrests are most likely to take place as the prosecutor of the city in Northern Greece, gave order to arrest all involved in the incidents.
On Thursday, protesters hurled eggs, coffee, water bottles against Hoelscher-Obermaier as he was heading to the meeting of the 3. Greek-German Assembly at the premises of the Exhibition Center-International Trade Fair.
After the whole issue was over, the victim downplayed the incident with a diplomatic humor. “Somebody wanted to invite me for coffee,” he reportedly told the media.
Maybe German diplomats should be careful what they say. Although you may not like what US Diplomats do, at least they are smart enough to be very careful in public comments.
i think Obermaier manage to prety much deal with the issue diplomatically.
Why are people afraid to use the correct name of our northern province?
Are we trying to be nice neighbours to our northern neighbour who is always firing provocations and threats at us.
(More detentions are arrests are most likely to take place as the prosecutor of the city in “Northern Greece” , gave order to arrest all involved in the incidents.)
This Northern Greece has a name.
It is MAKEDONIA.
No if or buts. No Compromises.
It is and will always be Makedonia and it is of Greek origin and so are its people.
Not a mixed race of Bulgars, Albanians, Turks and Slavs whose capital is Skopje. Which was founded by the Romans at first as a military outpost. Which was located in the Roman province of MOESIA.
MOESIA is the name they should adopt in Skopje and not our name of Makedonia. Where they continually threaten Greece with Territorial Claims.
As for the German Consul well he is not to blame for the economic problems in Greece. But our own public servants and politicians are.
For years they have taken more than they could from the Greek state and people. And it is they that are paying for it now.
Because we are blinded by GREED.
Crete is in Southe Greece, Alexandroupolis in NE Greece etc. As much of the KTG visitors are foreigners from around the globe they get a better picture of the georgaphic position of any city and area.
I do not think so.
Because when i mention i come from Macedonia. They automatically think i come from FYROM and not from Greece.
The same occurs in many other European countries and in Canada, the US and Australia.
see? the post wass not about Macedonia dispute but on something different
Aetos, I understand your concern, but you also have to realize that most of the decision makers of the world call it Macedonia (FYROM), so I hear what you are saying but is it the fault of an American child who does not know what Greece calls the country to the North when over half the planet call it something different.
So, best to try to eduate people politely as at least in the decision maker countries, they certainly don’t respond well to threats or conspiracy theories.
But, in the end, I still call it FYROM as an American who lives in Greece.
Homie and KTG
Firstly to KTG you see as you put it the article was not about Makedonia but you are trying to be diplomatic by saying in the article in the city in northern Greece. That is why people think it is ok to call the southern part of Ex Yugoslavia as Macedonia. We say nothing and it is ok and acceptable.
That is how it all starts, no one puts any big opposition to the lies and propaganda from FYROM and then they get their way and next thing you know they want to claim the Greek province of Makedonia. Ethnically cleanse the Greek population of Makedonia and have their pseudo state dream realised and officially recognised. They have their access to the Aegean Sea and an important Port in Thessaloniki and all the beautiful coastal beaches to bring in the tourist dollars. Because we let them do it.
Just as we let our country go down the gurgler because no one did anything and everyone kept everything hush hush because almost everyone was involved in the wholesale rape of our country. Because we let them.
And if we can not pull our selves together we will be continually ridiculed and lose a lot. When one can not pay back, they come and take what they most want. And that could mean losing your home or part of it.
To Homie it no it is not the fault of the American child that he does not know, but it is the fault of the society, government and education system that will not teach him the truth and facts. I am sure the child as he goes through school he or she will learn ancient and modern history. What will they learn that Macedonians were not Greeks and that today a country under the current name FYROM is fighting against the Greeks for its recognition as Macedonia? Or will they learn that the Makedonians were a Greek people and are today fighting the false propaganda and threats from their northern neighbour from Ex southern Yugoslavia who want to annex in some time in the future the northern province of Greece called Makedonia.
If only people would be as sensitive about being human beings as they are about the false truths incorporated in the labels of nationality and ethnicity we might, as a species, actually get to where we need to get. Respect each other for what we are, human beings, instead of fighting each other over these pointless, emotionally loaded false concepts which achieve nothing but division and strife…
Be proud of your uniqueness within the human race, nobody can ever take that away from you, no matter what they call themselves or you. It is quite simply not important. First hand experience of civil war is what taught me the truth. You really do not need to see neighbours kill each other, like I did, over stupidies like nationality or religion to realize just how idiotic the whole thing is.
To KTG i admire your site and what you have done to keep the Greek Diaspora informed of daily news and events in Greece.
But you have to understand i am very sensative on the subject of Makedonia my home and to the last, at least 6 generations of my family who have lived and fought for our home and country.
Especially when you come across lies and false propaganda about Makedonia. At least i can walk into the ancient Tombs in Vergina and read the inscriptions there and understand them. While i believe the people from FYROM in their language cannot.
I understand your sensitiveness but as you say: as people abroad thought of macedonia as fyrom , as you imagine these people would think, the german consul was attacked in skopje?
it’s an issue of journalistic approach to give accurate geographic position for those unaware.
the rest is … politics.
ephilant how right you are!! very eloquently you have put it
we in ireland are trying to make that transition with northern ireland and the republic
the history books certainly did not help
in new democracies it takes a few generations to put this aside
religious and political views have held back many a forward thinking country from progressing
People should learn to see history for what it is, something we preferably don’t want to happen again. It is not a roadmap for the future, unless you want the past to repeat itself. That is the meaning of “history repeats itself”. If we can stop looking at history as a key to open the door to the future, but accept it as a key to lock the past in the past, then we are on the right road.
The change we all want begins with a leap of faith, not by constantly looking over our shoulders at the past.