2012 or 1912? Greece continues to force minorities to adopt "Greek" sounding names

His name is Pavle Filipov, however for the Greek state he is Pavlos Voskopulos. 

Pece Benishev is Petros Vasiliadis while Krste Ashlakov has been issued documents by Greece with the name "Kostas Stavros Anastisayidis".

This has been the case with hundreds of thousands of Macedonians in Greece who have had their family roots destroyed by the Greek state by issuing them names and lastnames that end in "is" or "os".

Six years ago, four Greek citizens of ethnic Macedonian origin began a Court battle to return their family last names. Despite laws that allow them to return their Macedonian names, they continue to be stuck in Greece's labyrinth of a court system. What should have taken less than two days has turned into six years of legal battle of four Macedonians against official Athens.

For Macedonian media they explained they started the procedure firstly because they don't like their Greek names and secondly because they were provoked by Greek officials who sell a story to the world about Greek homogeneity and democracy where people are free to chose and have rights when in fact everything is just the opposite. Minorities are shoved Greek sounding names down their throats in order to keep the "Greekness" myth of the state alive.

- According to the Greek law for change of last names, everyone has a moral right to choose their last name. As an example, when women get married they may choose what last name they will have. However, the Greek state and its representatives know we are Macedonians. They are afraid if they say "Yes" to us, there will be avalanche of requests for change of last name. On the other side, Greece is aware if they let Macedonians carry their family last names, the 'Greekness' of this state is as good as dead - says Pavle Filipov who has waited on his request to change the last name for over six years!

According to Mr. Filipov, the Greek Government is purposely prolonging his request so he gives up on the procedure which doesn't come cheap. As an example, an application to the Supreme Court cost Filipov 1,700 euros just in taxes.

- This is not democracy, this is illegal. Luckily, Europe and the world realized Greece is a black ship. Our diplomats say one thing in Brussels, but the situation in the country is as you see, a lot different. The European Troika who frequently visits Greece because of the crisis realized that Greece is a country that tells and spreads only lies - says Filipov.

Pece Benishev from Vrbeni (Lerin) says that his request to change his last name was due for review in Court on November 13 this year, however was told the review has been delayed until further notice.

- I don't know why the Court review was delayed, nor did they tell me when it will be rescheduled - said Benishev. One of the political leaders representing Macedonians in Greece, Pavle Filipov says his last name 'Filipov' came from his great grand father.

- I want to honor my great grand father and return my last name which to me is the right and moral thing to do. However the Court told me that such "type" of last name does not exist. This pretty much sums up the Greek psyche. My great grand father's name was Kocho Filipov, born in 1891. Imagine, the Greek Government changed his name to Kostas Voskopoulos. They changed birth certificates of people who died after 1913. However, during the Ottoman Empire, here there were not a single last name ending in "is" or "os". That means the Greek Government falsified documents for people born prior to 1912, which is outright embarassing and humiliating for a 'country' to do.

As irony would have it, the current Prime Minister of Macedonia Nikola Gruevski's family roots hail from Aegean Macedonia. In fact, the Prime Minister has the same last name as his grand father who is burried in Greece.

As disturbing as this sound the Greek Government replaced the tombstone and changed the PM's grand father's name into Nikos Gruyos?

Not much can be expected from a country who can't even respect the dead. 

Similar is the family story for Benishev. Their last name was changed by the Greeks in 1936 when his family was told their new last name is Vasiliadis.

- I am Macedonian and would like to return my original last name which was illegally changed by the Greek Government without the permission of my family. Greek law allows for this to happen - stated Benishev.

All four Macedonians said they will sue the Greek Government in front of the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg, but are waiting on the few remaining steps in the Greek Court System. 

However, according to MINA's Gorazd Velkovski, the conditions to sue Greece in Strasbourg are already met because the Greek Court System was unable to review their case in an acceptable time frame of three years.

Velkovski admits what these four Macedonians do is very brave as the Greek state is known to pressure ethnic Macedonians by following them with police vehicles, laying them off if they work for the Government etc.

- Obviously the Greek Courts play the 'waiting' game in expectation the four would just give up on their cases. Needless to say Greece sees someone not having a "Greek" sounding name as a challenge to their claim of homogeneity where 97% of the population is Greek and the other 3% are foreigners. Having Filipov, Benishev and Turkoglu around will forever change the Greek myth of 'purity' which was never there to begin with - stated Velkovski.

DEUTSCH