Two prominent business leaders from Aegean Macedonia, residing in Canada, have pledged their continued support of MHRMI's Our Name Is Macedonia campaign and the fight against any change to Macedonia's name and our Macedonian identity.

Bill Argo, owner of the Symposium Cafe restaurant chain, and Mincho Tashev, real estate investor, are both longtime supporters of Macedonian Human Rights Movement International. Both are originally from the part of Macedonia that was annexed by Greece after the Balkan Wars of 1913.

"I grew up being denied my existence by Greek authorities who used to beat me because I'm Macedonian. My village was bombed because we're Macedonian. I saw my family members murdered for being Macedonian. No amount of threats would make me change who I am, and nothing that the US, NATO or EU could offer me would make me change who I am", said Mincho Tashev.

Any name change forced upon the Republic of Macedonia affects Macedonians, who are still fighting for their own basic human rights, in Aegean Macedonia, Pirin Macedonia, Mala Prespa/Golo Brdo, throughout the Balkans and the world.

"Despite what Zoran Zaev claims, if a country is called 'North Macedonia', common sense dictates - and we have already seen this happen multiple times - our identity, ethnicity and language will be called 'Northern Macedonian'”, said Bill Argo. "No Macedonian has the right to change the name and identity of all Macedonians. I have lived my entire life fighting for who we are, and I will never stop", he added.

A joint appeal from Argo and Tashev:
"We can not, and will not, allow Macedonia and our Macedonian identity to be given away to our oppressors. We call on high-profile Macedonians to immediately join our support of the Our Name Is Macedonia campaign. This is the most critical issue facing all Macedonians' since independence. Inaction cannot be justified.”

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Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) has been active on human and national rights issues for Macedonians and other oppressed peoples since 1986. For more information: 1-416-850-7125, info@mhrmi.org, www.mhrmi.org, twitter.com/mhrmi, facebook.com/mhrmi, mhrmi.org/OurNameIsMacedonia.