English
The Civic Party of Greeks in Serbia has called on the authorities in Novi Sad to reject the initiative of the national council of the Macedonian minority in Serbia to put up a monument dedicated to Macedonia.
On August 3, the council of the Macedonian national minority submitted to the city assembly of Novi Sad the initiative to erect the monument called “Mother Macedonia” on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Macedonian immigration to Vojvodina. The Council for Culture and Information of the Assembly of Novi Sad decided to request an additional opinion from the urban planners and the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments of Novi Sad.
News portal 021.rs reported that the Civic Party of Greeks in Serbia assessed that the erection of that monument would represent “deep disrespect for the Greek people and state” and that the very name of the monument is controversial because the name Macedonia refers to an autonomous region and an integral part of the territory of Greece – in line with Greek nationalist claims on Macedonia, its name, history and culture. The Greek party also believes that the initiative to erect a monument named “Mother Macedonia” in the city that they refer to as the “Serbian Athens” is “a direct provocation against Greece and the Greek people.”