Melitis Mayor Interview as about the Weekend Festival

[Morphesau]

Florina festival tension eased

Heavy police presence was needed yesterday at the Niki border crossing between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to ensure that there were no clashes on the sidelines of a cultural festival.

The long-standing annual festival in the village of Meliti, in Florina, northern Greece, held in honor of the Prophet Elias attracts people from both sides of the border, but there were fears things would get out of control when a group of some 30 members of the far-right group Chryssi Avgi (Golden Dawn) gathered at the border.

They chanted slogans at a coach carrying some 40 self-proclaimed “Aegean Macedonians” from FYROM, who intended to attend the festival. Despite a strong police presence and assurances that they should not fear for their safety, the coach turned around and headed back to FYROM.

Otherwise, the festival passed off peacefully. The Tanec music and dance company was due to perform in Meliti last night.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w.../07/2008_98766

[Truth Bearer]

Yes Rogi "claimed" he was going.............

[Melbourne]

To be honest I think the Meliti organisers have a lot to answer for.

They played the patriotic Greeks to the cameras, then go and invite dance groups from Skopia. The way I see it, they deserve a visit from some patriotic Greeks.

Next year, the logistics will be so well planned that the police will not protect a single Skopiano who arrives. These people are there to dismember Greece and we worry about human rights groups and cameras.

The Meliti festival from this day onwards will become a rallying point for all patriotic Greeks, and I DARE any Skopian to ever attend again.

[Ariadni_Nefeli]

As I said earlier, the Greek media were at least unacceptable in how they informed about the festival....

[Greek-Cowboy]

No skopian bands should be playing at our festivals- But it is our faults that the invitations went out. The mayer of Meliti shoul not extend any invitations out at all.

[Makedonia25]

Originally Posted by Melbourne

To be honest I think the Meliti organisers have a lot to answer for.

They played the patriotic Greeks to the cameras, then go and invite dance groups from Skopia. The way I see it, they deserve a visit from some patriotic Greeks.

Next year, the logistics will be so well planned that the police will not protect a single Skopiano who arrives. These people are there to dismember Greece and we worry about human rights groups and cameras.

The Meliti festival from this day onwards will become a rallying point for all patriotic Greeks, and I DARE any Skopian to ever attend again.

Yes, I think we all agree with that.. But dare I say, I think that Greece is being a bit laid back, as they believe they have all angles covered (in terms of letting them in NATO and the EU) and I guess they assume that that's where all the big decisions will be made..