Following confirmation of reports yesterday that the U.S. State Department had decided to change the name it uses in reference to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.) to the οΏ½Republic of Macedonia,οΏ½ οΏ½οΏ½οΏ½ V.P. and Regional Coordinator for N. & S. America Chris P. Tomaras is calling on all οΏ½οΏ½Ε’s members in the U.S. to mobilize their memberships in a massive phone, E-mail and letter-writing campaign directed at the U.S. Congress and Pres. Bush. 

The coordinated effort is being undertaken following a strategy meeting in New York on Thursday, Nov. 4, attended by V.P. Tomaras, Pan-Macedonian Assn. Supreme Pres. Sotirios Proios, V.P. Nina Gatzoulis and Supreme Sec. Panos D. Spiliakos among others.

V.P. Tomaras also met with Greek Deputy Foreign Min. for Hellenes Abroad Panagiotis Skandalakis, who reiterated the Greek GovernmentοΏ½s position that it would use its veto against the E.U. aspirations of F.Y.R.O.M.  

V.P. Tomaras condemned the AdministrationοΏ½s decision in another letter to Pres. Bush today, saying he hoped the U.S. would, οΏ½Should you allow the State DepartmentοΏ½s decision to stand, Mr. President, we will avail ourselves of every means granted us in the Constitution to correct the error, including Congressional action.  As Hellenes, we know the meaning of democracy.οΏ½ This latest letter continues our longstanding policy of supporting GreeceοΏ½s national issues, and the efforts of its member-federations throughout the Region whenever possible.

Recognizing the importance of the issue V.P. Tomaras told our omogenia in his OXI Day message just a week ago: οΏ½That same οΏ½Hellenic ImperativeοΏ½ will guide us beyond 2004 as well.  Whether in response to Skopje s usurpation of the name οΏ½MacedoniaοΏ½ and the historical Alexander the Great, or on the future of Cyprus, or the re-opening of Orthodoxy s School of Theology at Halki and the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate... whenever what is right and just is threatened, we will always say: OXI! NO!  Like Metaxas in 1940, we have no choice. We are Hellenes.οΏ½

YOU CAN HELP!
HereοΏ½s how:

FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FAMILY, GREEK AND PHILHELLENE FRIENDS 
CALL AND E-mail BOTH OF YOUR STATEοΏ½S U.S. SENATORS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
CALL AND E-mail YOUR DISTRICTοΏ½S MEMBER IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES               http://www.house.gov/ 
CALL AND E-mail PRES. BUSH AT THE WHITE HOUSE
President George W. Bush                                                         
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
PHONE: (202) 456-1111 , (202) 456-6213                                                              
FAX:  (202) 456-2461                                                         
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Suggested Message:

As a citizen of the U.S., I am deeply disturbed at my governmentοΏ½s decision to begin using the term οΏ½Republic of MacedoniaοΏ½ in reference to F.Y.R.O.M.  This unilateral decision by the Administration ignores the ongoing UN-sanctioned talks between Greece and F.Y.R.O.M. and unnecessarily complicates the already highly-charged situation in the Balkans. 

On behalf of my entire family and many friends who believe that their Government should allow the two sovereign states involved to resolve the issue without U.S. pressure, I urge you to take whatever measures available to rescind this decision.