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A strong message was
delivered by the Pan-Macedonian Association USA, in the city of
Baltimore, MD where the 61st National Convention was
carried from June 26 until July 1, 2007.
 Prior
to the opening of the Convention, which was blessed by His Eminence,
Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, an academic conference took
place in the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC titled, A
Search for a Roadmap to Peace in the Balkans. Non-Greek and Greek
academicians and experts sent everywhere a strong message that the
successors of Alexander the Great established the Hellenistic period
and were indubitable Greek. The hoe of the archaeologists in all
parts of the Hellenistic East was excavating nothing other than
monuments and coins with Greek forms, insignias, and inscriptions,
similar to those that were discovered in the territories of Greek
city-states of that time.
Dr. Potitsa Grigorakou
from the Open University of Athens was the Coordinator of the morning
panel. Archaelogist Professor Pierre Leriche from Centre d'
Archeologie pour l' Orient of Paris via a power point presentation
informed the audience about the monuments and the architecture of the
Hindo-Hellenistic East, while Dr. Osmund Bopearachhci, from Centre D'
Archeologie, E.N.S. Paris presented an abundance of currencies of the
Hellenistic era on which the Greek language is engraved and leading
figures with Greek names are depicted on them.
The afternoon panel was
coordinated by Mr. Gene Rossides, Chairman of the American Hellenic
Institute (AHI) and the experts Ted Galen Carpenter, Vice-president of
Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, CATO Institute, Washington, DC and
Gregory R. Copley, Vice-president of International Strategic Studies
Association, Alexandria, VA, presented a geopolitical analysis of the
southeastern Balkans. Dr. George Papavizas with his presentation of
A Country with a Borrowed Identity made a detailed analysis of
historical facts that were instrumental into the further development
of the FYROM issue. The presenters emphasized that
the proper and just resolution of the FYROM issue, based on historical
truth is critical for peace in the Balkans and beneficial to the
interests of the United States. The Coordinator of SAE, Mr.
Theodore Spyropoulos, with his wife Errica, was present during the
academic presentations, while Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen was
the main speaker of the lunch which followed. Greek origin Congressman
Zachary Space, also gave a warm greeting in support of the efforts of
the Macedonians.
Mr. Markus Templar,
historian and Balkan-analyst, on Friday, June 29, 2007, following the
Convention’s business, via a power point presentation, proposed the
kinship of Macedonian words with words that exist in the dictionary of
Hesychius who lived in the 5th century AD. Mr. Templar’s extensive
research gives further evidence that even linguistically the
Macedonians were Greek. Dr. Dimitrios Pantermalis, also on Friday
evening, June 29, via the new technology gave a thorough examination
of work which himself has undertaken, of the new Acropolis Museum in
Athens. The museum, as explained Dr. Pantermalis, will be ready to
open its doors at an early date!!
 Congratulatory
messages for the 61st Pan-Macedonian Convention were
received from the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, His Eminence
Archbishop Demitrios, the President of Democracy Mr. Karolos Papoulias,
the Prime Minister, Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, from Foreign Minister, Mrs.
Dora Bakogianni, from the Chairman of Parliament, Mrs. Anna Benaki,
from the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Mr. George Kalantzis, from
Lieutenant Foreign Minister Mr. Theodoros Kassimis. Also Mr. Haitidis,
Chairman of Inter-parties Committee of Greeks Abroad and Chairman of
Alexandreion Institution in Litochoro, Pieria, founded by the
Pan-Macedonian Association, sent a message with warm greetings for a
successful convention. The General Secretary of SAE, Dr Olga
Sarantopoulos, also sent warm greetings. With letters, Mr. Theodore
Spyropoulos, Coordinator of SAE in America and Mr. Emmanuel
Velivasakis, Chairman of Hellenic American National Council (HANC),
offered their support to the efforts of the Macedonians.
His Excellency
Ambassador of Greece in Washington, Mr. Alexandros Mallias, observed
with great assiduity the proposals of the academicians, but was also
the main speaker of the official dinner on Saturday, June 30, 2007.
During his speech he presented the leading presence of Greece in the
Balkans. Present at the banquet were Congressman John Sarbanes and
Michael Sarbanes (candidate Chairman of the Municipal Council of
Baltimore). The Pan-Macedonian Association honored Dr. Ioannis
Nathenas and Mr. Christos Tomaras during the dinner, for the
long-lasting contribution and their support to the Organization and
the efforts of the Macedonians.
The outgoing Supreme President, Mr. Panos D. Spiliakos,
stated: “This year is particularly significant for the development of
the name issue. The FYROM intolerantly in their irredentist stance is
predicted that they will be included in NATO in spring of 2008. If the
Greek government does not practice its veto power now, even if the
neighboring country agrees to enter as the FYROM, Greece will face
difficult moments in the future. The resolution of the 61st
Convention of the Pan-Macedonian Association states the following:
The Greek Parliament should not ratify any agreement
for the admission of Skopje into NATO or the European Union even under
a temporary name such as FYROM until an agreement is reached on a
final name for the country.
This also is the advice of the Macedonians to the Greek government”.
The newly-elected Supreme
President, Professor Nina Gatzoulis said: “All the
excavated relics in all parts of the world that were touched by the
Macedonians were as Hellenic as those of the Athenians, Spartans, and
all the other Hellenic city states of that time. FYROM has been
challenged on this and has not been able to produce even one shred of
evidence to the contrary. It is very important that the entire
Omogeneia promotes US House Resolution, 356 that is being introduced
by Congresswoman Maloney and Congressman Bilirakis, which advises the
leadership of the FYROM to stop its propaganda emanating from the
governmental and private institution, and to focus their efforts in
finding a name of their country.”
The following are the new
officers who were elected the last day of the Convention:
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
Supreme
President: Nina Gatzoulis
Supreme
Vice-President: Dr. Antonios Papadopoulos
Β!
Supreme Vice Presiden (Youth): Anastasia Kasseris
Supreme
Secretary: Maria Hatzinakos
Supreme
Treasurer: Kostas Hatzistefanidis
Treasurer’s
Aide: Demitrios Tassopoulos
Legal
Advisors: Theodore Vassilakis
Demitrios Ioannidis
GOVERNORS
1. New
England: George Tsitsopoulos
2 Southern New
England George Vlahopoulos
3. Greater
ΝΥ:
Mike Barbalios
4. Upstate
NY: Nick Kousmanidis
5. Midwestern
States: TBA
6.
Mid-Atlantic: Stelios Kirimlis
7.
Eastern-Midwestern: Christos Papademas
8. Southern
States: Paul Voulgaris
9. Plane
States: Athanasios Deros
10. Southwestern
States: TBA
11. Rocky
Mountain: Nick Komnenos
12. Pacific
States: Dr. Karl Konstantin
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