Open Letter to Greek MP’s by Mikis Theodorakis regarding Macedonia

Open Letter to Greek MP’s by Mikis Theodorakis

It’s been almost a year since hundreds of thousands of citizens of all political persuasions united in Sindagma demanding to not advance any national concessions against Greece on the Macedonian issue. Then I spoke to them and to all the Greeks about the big dangers facing our country regarding this unexplainable submission. The Government ignored the dangers and the Greek people and without any logic decided to advance at all costs. For an issue which does not need ‘solving’ for Greece as it has been resolved. So as to impose an agreement which only dangers portend for our country and the Balkans as a whole. Even when since then Skopje hasn’t stopped bleating about a ‘macedonian’ nation, a ‘macedonian’ language and ‘macedonian identity, breaking daily even this so-called Prespes Agreement. EVERYBODY from the President to the Opposition even from the ‘good natured’ PM and the Minister of Foreign Affairs we heard in their official visit in Turkey.

Today I am making a referral not only to those who will demonstrate again tomorrow in Sindagma but mainly to those who are in Parliament and will take a decision which is related to the future of Greece. I am pleading with all the MP’s: don’t advance this crime against Greece. The damage you will create for our country will be irreplaceable. The crisis of history and the judgement of the Greek people will be irreversible.
I will remind you the declaration after the ending of the Council of Political leaders on 13.3.1992 which was presented in front of the President Konstantinos Karamanlis:


“The political leadership of the country (Konstantinos Karamanlis, Andreas Papandreou, Maria Damanaki (Sinaspismos), Aleka Papariga) ‘exclusind the KKE agreed that Greew will recognise the independent state of Skopje only if three conditions are met set by the EEC on 16th December 1991, with the self-explanatory distinction that in the name of the country we wont have the word Macedonia’

NOWHERE. With neither a geographic or other direction.


The distancing from that decision of a political historical dimension which was represented by nearly all the political work is a historically inadmissible act, reaching limts of historical reductivism and it will have disastrous effects for the future of the country.

Skopje using the vehicle of the word ‘Macedonia’ and ignoring historical events at a level of gross ridiculousness, are attempting in reality to expand the borders against our own for the creation of the so-called ‘Aegean Macedonia’.

There is a necessity for us to go against the destruction of history and to be alerted fro the defense of our national independence which is being endangered by the international forces that are aiming the balkanisation of the area. The case of Yugoslavia is still fresh. The next victim will be our country.



If Skopje become members of NATO and Europe with our vote so that they can tomorrow and the day after threaten us from a stronger position, then we will be worthy of our fate.

As it is historically proven that Macedonia was and is Greek, we must never recognize them with this name as we are the only ones who can grant them historical legitimacy. It doesn’t matter if there are countries that recognize Skopje with the name ‘Macedonia’ ignoring the fact that they are being made fools in face of history. Let us remember the example of Western Germany which never recognize Eastern Germany despite the fact that tens of countries had made agreements and had opened up diplomatic relationships, knowing full well that their acceptance was contingent on history agreeing to their own recognition.

We must of course continue to support the peaceful coexistence with FYROM. But as long as they express irredentist claims and demand our historical identity advancing ‘concessions’ that could only be made to a dumb peoples and on their knees ignoring provocatively (thus NEGATING) the same Prespes Agreement which they signed, they should not have our vote to enter the EU and NATO.

This issue isn’t one that tomorrow can be coordinated differently. The vote of the Greek people wasn’t granted on a blank piece of paper so this issue can be decided by those who govern. No government (even a majority government) can take such serious decisions for out country. That is why the only serious decision on behalf of todays government is for it to fall on the judgement of the Greek Peoples demanding a Referendum.
Athens 19.1.2019
Mikis Theodorakis