Share :

Download PDF :

MHRMI (15 June 2018)

Macedonian Human Rights Movement International has instructed Doughty Street Chambers, an international law firm located in London, and Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg Urias & Ward P.A, based in the United States, to advise on lawsuits against individuals and nation-states involved in the changing of Macedonia's name.

MHRMI has long advocated for the anti-Macedonian name negotiations to end, pointing out that the change of Macedonia's name is a violation of basic human rights and will destroy the Macedonian ethnicity.

Nancy Hollander (Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg Urias & Ward) said: “The name of a country is far more than just its name. It is fundamental to the identity of its people. Therefore, we are investigating all possible legal avenues through the courts of the United States that MHRMI may use in preventing any change to Macedonia's name.”

Tatyana Eatwell (Doughty Street Chambers) said: “The name of Macedonia is central to the Macedonian people’s identity. The on-going dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the name of the Republic of Macedonia is not a mere technical dispute but has far-reaching implications for the Macedonian people with respect to their ethnic and national identity, and the recognition of the Macedonian language. We are investigating legal avenues within the UN and European human rights frameworks available to MHRMI in their campaign to end the name negotiations.”

Bill Nicholov, President of MHRMI, said: “Macedonians will not allow current politicians to change our age-old name, identity and ethnicity. We expect and demand that the international community aid us in the defence of our most basic of human rights and immediately end the anti-Macedonian name negotiations. Changing the name of an entire ethnic group to appease its oppressors violates every human rights convention that the West claims to hold dear."

http://mhrmi.org/news/2018/june15_e_print.asp