UMD Perpetuates Propaganda

One of the most popular historical inaccuracies being spread by nationalists from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M) and her diaspora is the notion that there was no region named "Macedonia" in Greece until the Greek government renamed "Northern Greece" to "Macedonia" in 1988. The nationalists from F.Y.R.O.M and her diaspora also assert that Greece actually discourged the usage of the name "Macedonia" until 1988. An example of a nationalist organization that perpetuates this lie is the "United Macedonian Diaspora" led by M. Koloski.

This is an excerpt found from one of the articles posted on the UMD website:





If there was no region in Greece named "Macedonia" prior to 1988, and this geographic descriptor was discourged by the Greek government until that date, perhaps Mr. Koloski, or anyone from the UMD, can explain why Greek school books circulated by the Greek government and integrated into the state sponsored curriculum by the Greek government included whole sections on the geographic region of Macedonia. The following are just a couple examples, out of many, taken from school books that were part of the Greek state implemented curriculum of the 1960's and 1970's:

[NOTE THE DATE ON THE TEXT BOOK COVER IS 1976!!]









The following is from the 1978 edition of the same text book. If Greece had no region named "Macedonia", and was even trying to discourage the name "Macedonia" as nationalists from F.Y.R.O.M constantly claim, why would Greek school text books include maps such as the following??



From a 1960s text book:





The historical inaccuracy being perpetuated by the UMD is indicative of the UMD's lack of integrity. The amateurish organization is run by nationalist individuals who apparently have no interest in the truth. The claim that Greece did not use the name "Macedonia" prior to 1988 is a LIE.

Finally, the excerpt from the UMD article talks about a 'sizeable Macedonian minority' living in Greece. In other articles authored by Koloski a number of 200,000 'ethnic Macedonians' residing in Greece is put forth. This number is derived from the personal opinion of "The Official Rainbow Party " in Greece which represents the rights of "ethnic Macedonians" living in Greece. If the UMD believes that 200,000 is an accurate population number perhaps they, or the Rainbow Party, can explain why the Rainbow Party, a party that allegedly represents the minority interests of "ethnic Macedonians" in Greece, recieved a little more than 6,000 votes (about half of which came from outside of Macedonia) in the internationally monitored European Parliament elections of 2004. Think about it: why would a minority population of at least 200,000 people not turn out to vote en masse, in order to make a political statement to the world, for the party that would fight for their alleged lack of 'human rights' in an internationally monitored election where votes are cast in an anonymous system? Perhaps Mr. Koloski, the UMD, and the Rainbow Party are over inflating the statistics and over exaggerating the so called "human rights" abuses in order to peddle their political agenda?