(GHM/IFEX) – GHM condemns the censorship by the Greek daily newspaper “Makedonia” of an article on the banned Macedonian language in Greece that was to be published on 14 August 2005, in the regular Sunday column of writer Thanasis Triaridis. The article, entitled “A short note on a banned language”, summarised the history and the […]
(GHM/IFEX) – GHM condemns the censorship by the Greek daily newspaper “Makedonia” of an article on the banned Macedonian language in Greece that was to be published on 14 August 2005, in the regular Sunday column of writer Thanasis Triaridis.
The article, entitled “A short note on a banned language”, summarised the history and the reasons for the prohibition on speaking Macedonian in Greece, as well as Greece’s refusal to recognise national minorities, such as the Macedonian and Turkish ones. The author concluded that it was time to lift the ban and teach the language with its songs and its literature at the schools in the areas where the language is spoken. The article can be found in Greek at the author’s personal web site: http://www.triaridis.gr/keimena/keimD046.htm
In a postscript, the author relates how “Makedonia” editor Christos Kapsalis told him that his article could not be published “out of principle” and asked for another article. The author refused such an arrangement and informed the editor that he was putting an end to the 18-month collaboration with the newspaper.
GHM considers this censorship a violation of freedom of expression, symptomatic of the prevailing intolerance towards national minorities in Greece, and especially the Macedonian minority. Such an attitude is incompatible with the “state of law” that is supposed to prevail in Greece, and was denounced in 2004 and 2005 by a number of international organisations, which urged Greece to recognize its minorities and respect their freedom of expression and association.
