United Macedonians Ilinden Picnic in Toronto

Toronto, August 4 (MIA) - The oldest Macedonian emigrant community in Canada "United Macedonians" at the traditional 51st Ilinden Picnic in Toronto observing the Macedonian national and spiritual holiday Ilinden, called on responsibility on keeping the name of the Macedonian state and people.

Many Macedonians from Canada and the US participated at the picnic. The park where picnic took place was decorated with 120 flags of countries that recognised the Republic of Macedonia under its constitutional name.

The Ilinden picnic started by playing of national anthems of Canada and Macedonia and blessing by the Metropolitan Metodij, competent of Eparchy of North-America of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

The President of the "United Macedonians" organisation Mendo Bakalovski and Consul General of the Republic of Macedonia to Toronto Martin Trenevski addressed the event.

Acting ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia in Ottawa Slavica Dimovska read the congratulation note from Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov before present guests.

The Resolution of the "United Macedonians" organisation was read which called on responsibility of present Macedonians before the future generations of Macedonians to pass on to them the name Macedonia unchanged.

Document also assessed that negotiating about the name of the Macedonian state and people is demeaning and shameful for the Macedonian people. The Resolution appeals to the President of the Republic of Macedonia, the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia and the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia to employ all necessary measures in order to begin the process of examination of the legality of the 1993 Resolution of the UN General Assembly 47/225 whereby the Republic of Macedonia was admitted to full membership in the UN in the part concerning its provisional denomination and the obligation to negotiate with another state over its own constitutional name, and in doing so, they will initiate in the UN the process of the establishment of the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia.

- We responsibly assert that if the above is not initiated, all those who are considering or will allow the change of the state name – Republic of Macedonia, are dishonouring the country’s Constitution and we will consider them forever as traitors. We encourage the Government, while aspiring and working towards NATO and EU membership, to also seek full membership in all other regional and global organizations and associations such as the Non Aligned Movement, as well as bilateral cooperation with every country that is ready to cooperate without dictating, the Resolution reads.

- We promise that we will continue to lobby in the interest of the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonian people in our communities, for which we only ask adequate cooperation from the Government and state institutions so that we can pursue our duty in an institutional and coordinated way as ambassadors for our people and country, the Resolution ends.