AMHRC and MHRMI EXPRESS FULL SUPPORT FOR
OMO “ILINDEN” PIRIN PROTESTS IN STRASBOURG

Melbourne, Australia and Toronto, Canada
14 September 2009

The Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) and Macedonian Human Rights Movement International (MHRMI) wish to express their full support for the protests of OMO “Ilinden” PIRIN beginning today in Strasbourg.

The protests which are being held in front of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe represent an important contribution to the long battle of OMO “Ilinden” PIRIN for re-registration as a political party and for the Macedonian minority of Bulgaria in general.

As OMO “Ilinden” PIRIN has indicated, the aims of the protests are to raise awareness in the European Parliament of the plight of the unrecognised Macedonian minority of Bulgaria and to oppose the proposed closing of the monitoring of the execution of the 2005 judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of UMO Ilinden PIRIN vs Bulgaria.

OMO Ilinden PIRIN and indeed the AMHRC and MHRMI demand that the party be re-registered as a political party by the Bulgarian authorities and call for the immediate recognition of the Macedonian minority of Bulgaria. The party also calls upon the Council of Europe and the European Union to use all the mechanisms at their disposal to ensure that Bulgaria upholds its obligations regarding freedom of assembly and minority rights.

The AMHRC and MHRMI were pleased to lend logistical and other support to the protest and will continue to support OMO “Ilinden” PIRIN in their struggle for registration and recognition.



Founded in 1984, the Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee (AMHRC) has been working towards achieving human rights for Macedonians and other oppressed minorities. For more information, please visit http://www.macedonianhr.org.au, or contact AMHRC at +61 3 932 98960, or mail@macedonianhr.org.au.


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 http://www.mhrmi.org, or contact MHRMI at 416-850-7125, or info@mhrmi.org.

Bravo

United we stand

Who they represent?
How many Macedonians from Pirin region will say that they are Macedonians?

I met several people here in USA from Petrich,Blagoevgrad and Sandanski and not even one declared himself or herself Macedonian!?

I guess will be uphill battle for them...

Doesn't matter so much how many there are. Fact is there are. Bravo to the members of OMO Ilinden Pirin

Pizzaman,

Fear is no laughing matter and not easily dispersed with. You will be amazed at how many people will suddenly express they are Macedonian when they feel 'free' to do so. OMO Ilinden know this, Vinozito knows this, the Greek and Bulgarian Govts secret psychologists know this, we all know this.

A logical question, why do Greece and Bulgaria act so irrationally and pathetically at the mere mention of the Macedonian people?. Moreover, if their claims are correct and Macedonians either don't exist or a little in number why the scare mongering and other vile acts?

I'm talking about people from Pirin who emigrated to USA, they are not scared here to express themselves as macedonians, but I haven't seen anyone yet.
Several people I met they all say bulgarians...