For Macedonia and the Macedonians

The Orthodox Christian Associations of Thessaloniki, in the face of the unprecedented rape of historical truth and the magnitude of the national crime committed by the signature of the political leadership of our country, we stress the following:

1. The responsible Government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister is in contempt of the overwhelming majority of Greeks who, during the magnificent rallies, have demonstrated their opposition to the cession of the name “Macedonia” and any of its derivatives to the neighbouring state of Skopje. This Italian defiance constitutes a maximum insult and a gross violation of the fundamental principles of our democratic constitution, but more importantly, it endangers the very national interests of the country. The foolish attempt of the government and the Prime Minister to interpret positively the anti-national provisions of the despicable agreement and to throw ashes in the eyes of the Greeks, brutally offends the Greek citizens and borders on high treason (134 par. 1 CC), an act for which life imprisonment is prescribed for anyone who, by usurping his or her status as an organ of the State, destroys or alters or renders ineffective, permanently or prematurely, the democratic constitution based on popular sovereignty.
2. Moreover, by ceding the sacred name of Macedonia, a national betrayal was committed in peacetime and without our having been defeated in the military field! A history of three thousand (3,000) years and more has been “sold out” shamelessly and even by institutions and persons who are appointed under the Greek Constitution to guard and defend it!
3. The responsibilities of the national crime that has been committed touch both the President of the Republic and the members of Parliament, from whichever party and region they come from. All of them have given an oath that they will guard the Constitution and the laws and the integrity of our country. We remind them of the oath of the ancient Athenian teenagers – “…but for the sake of saints and saints alone and after many. And I will not fail to surrender my country, and I will surrender it, and I will surrender it if I admit it…”. If they are unworthy to grow the homeland, let them at least take care to deliver it as they received it. If they do not, they will be held accountable and complicit in the completion of the treason!
4. The Church of Greece, given the position it took in view of the rallies in Thessaloniki and Athens, must, as the Ark of the Nation, stir up the faithful people and defend, as it has always done throughout history, the Greekness of Macedonia. Let our archbishops reflect on the great figures of the hierarchs who saved Macedonia and let them become leaders in the struggle of the faithful people. We appeal especially to the Athonite State, this holy bastion of Orthodoxy that adorns our Macedonia, to raise a voice of resistance to the betrayal that is taking place!
5. We call upon the Greek people to mass participation in the rallies which are held under the auspices of the Pan-Macedonian Unions at home and abroad and the Committee of Struggle for the Greekness of Macedonia:
   • Saturday 16/06/18, Athens, Syntagma Square, 4.00 p.m.
   • Sunday 17/06/18, Prespes.
6. Because we foresee and fear ugly developments on other national fronts as well, we repeat the courageous words of the late Metropolitan Sevastianos of Konitsa to the then government of the country: ‘Our national issues, politicians, Macedonia, Cyprus, the Aegean, Thrace, Northern Epirus, are not your home and your chiffon, so that you can sell them out. If you do, your names will be written in history next to the Nightmare!”

MAKEDONIA = GREECE and GREECE = MAKEDONIA

22 Orthodox Christian Associations of Thessaloniki

• Brotherhood of Orthodox Foreign Missionary Work
• Parents Association “Christian Education” (PTA)
• Greek Orthodox Association “The Panagiophiles”
• “United Romion”
• Missionary Society “Saint Kosmas the Aetolian”
• Holy Association P.A.T.T.R.I.S.
• Orthodox Brotherhood “Christian Hope”
• Orthodox Christian Brotherhood “Love of Christ”
• Orthodox Christian Brotherhood “Agia Phoebe”
• Orthodox Christian Brotherhood “Apoletus”
• Orthodox Christian Brotherhood “St. Xeni”
• “Sidecar”
• PA.SY.BA. (Panhellenic Association of the Northern Epirus Struggle)
• Parents’ Initiative of Northern Greece
• Citizens’ Initiative for Intellectual Freedom
• Association “The Apostle Paul”
• Association of Orthodox Missionary Action “The Great Basil”
• Association of Polygamous Prefecture of Thessaloniki “Agioi Pantes”
• Association of Friends of I.M. Pantokratoros Melissochori
• “Saint Gregory Palamas”
• S.F.E.V.A. (Coordinating Student Committee of the Northern Epirus Struggle)
• Charitable Association “Care for the Poor”
• Christian Parents’ Union of Thessaloniki