A rather nationalist statement made by Metropolitan Bishop of Thessaloniki Anthimos last week has turned many heads in FYROM and angered many politicians in Greece's northern neighbor.
During a press conference last week talking about the current political process to find a final name solution for FYROM, the Bishop said, "Macedonia is Greek ... and parts of it that are missing should be returned." Politicians in FYROM are claiming that the statement was a threat to the Bitola area of southwestern FYROM, and that they expect Greek authorities to "immediately and unequivocally condemn such speech, which pose an indirect threat to the territorial integrity of Macedonia."
DF: Dora Bakoyannis, Greece's foreign minister, said that the statement did not, "of course, express the (Greek) government, the people and political parties; and that Athens does not seek any border changes."
Bitola, known as Μοναστήρι to the Greeks, was once home to a large ethnic Greek community which mostly left after the 1920s. A small community does reside in the city today, which is also home to a Greek consulate and a growing number of Greek businesses. The statement made by Anthimos however has been seen as extremist and out of line.
* Notice the Greek writing in the photograph taken in Bitola above.
Anthimos
posted on Monday, November 12
National