Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) - Press Release

Toronto, Canada - United Nations Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Ms. Gay McDougall, was in Florina (Lerin), northern Greece today to investigate minority issues and meet with members of Rainbow (Vinozhito), representing the Macedonian minority in Greece.

The UN investigation is in response to a letter from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Nikola Gruevski, who requested that international organizations investigate the situation of ethnic Macedonian and other minorities in Greece.

"MHRMI, once again, expresses its gratitude to Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski for continuing to raise the issue of Greece's mistreatment of its large Macedonian minority,” said MHRMI President Bill Nicholov.

Greece reacted by closing the Macedonia-Greece border earlier today. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakojannis announced she will personally meet with the UN Expert where she is expected to express the official Greek position that it is the only country in Europe with no minorities.

MHRMI calls on all international human rights organizations to investigate, report, and monitor the treatment of Macedonian and other minorities in Greece according to international human rights law.

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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, please visit www.mhrmi.org, or contact MHRMI at 416-850-7125, or info@mhrmi.org.