Hellenic Electronic Center (HEC)

 A Non-Profit Organization Registered in the US  with 44,000 Hellenes as members and 36 Hellenic  associations in the US and abroad

                                                                June 22 ,2011

  The June 22 piece under the world news section makes reference to Skopje's claims on Macedonian history and states that Greece "also claims inheritance of the historical figure" in reference to the  building of a statue in Skopje of Alexander the Great. This is an absurd statement that implies a dispute on historical fact. Alexander and the Macedonian heritage belong exclusively to the Greek nation. There is no dispute about this according to serious scholars, historians, and archeologists who have over the course of time examined the firsthand evidence from a non biased and objective perspective.

 Tensions with Greece have been exacerbated and continue to worsen specifically as a result of unprovoked aggressions such as the building of this statue. The government in Skopje bears direct responsibility for provocations against Greece as well as European authorities which as the article  notes is warning Skopje about its actions. Greece has over a period of time extended good will toward Skopje by assisting it economically and establishing diplomatic recognition. In turn, Skopje continues  to provoke Greece. Very clearly, Skopje should not be accepted in either the European Union or NATO.

  It is very clearly an aggressive and pariah state, and an undemocratic one at that. Democratic countries do not covet the territory of neighboring countries nor do they distort serious history for the purposes of  disseminating propaganda for the aim of establishing themselves with a history and heritage that  belongs exclusively to someone else. At this point in time when the Balkan countries are preparing to move forward, Skopje alone continues to ignite tensions while keeping alive its aggressive tendencies onGreek territory. Skopje is the greatest single cause of instability, tension, and hatred in the Balkan

peninsula today.

                           Theodoros Karakostas

                                  HEC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE