Greece: Macedonian TV crew denied visas

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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 09:04:50 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: Greece: Macedonian TV crew denied visas

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Greek Helsinki Monitor <[email protected]>

Greece: Macedonian TV crew denied visas


IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
________________________________________________________________
 
ACTION ALERT - GREECE
 
22 September 1998
 
TV journalists refused visas
 
SOURCE: Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), Kifisia
 
(GHM/IFEX) - Greek Helsinki Monitor was informed that a Macedonian
Television (MTV) crew was refused entry visas by the Greek Liaison
Office in Skopje. The crew intended to cover the trial of the
Macedonian minority party Rainbow; on 15 September, Rainbow was on
trial in Greece for the use of the Macedonian mother tongue. The Greek
authorities had been formally informed of the request on 9 September
through a MTV letter.
 
Two weeks prior, the same crew was given visas in a matter of hours to
cover Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Buzlevski's visit to Greece.
According to GHM, one can conclude that, this time, Greek authorities
were simply trying to limit coverage of the embarrassing trial, which
ended with the acquittal of the Rainbow leaders and the implicit
recognition of the right to henceforth freely use the Macedonian
language, both orally and in writing.
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
 
Send appeals to Alternate Foreign Minister George Papandreou:
- protesting the refusal of the visas
- stressing that one of the fundamental principles of open societies
is the uninhibited flow of information
 
APPEALS TO:
 
Mr. George Papandreou
Alternate Foreign Minister
Athens, Greece
Fax: +30 1 3394195
 
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
 
For further information, contact GHM at P.O. Box 51393, GR-14510,
Kifisia, Greece, tel: +30 1 620 01 20, fax: +30 1 807 57 67, e-mail:
[email protected], [email protected], Internet:
http://www.greekhelsinki.gr.
 
The information contained in this action alert is the sole
responsibility of GHM. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit GHM.
_________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________
 
_______________________________________
 
Greek Helsinki Monitor &
Minority Rights Group - Greece
P.O. Box 51393
GR-14510 Kifisia
Greece
Tel. +30-1-620.01.20
Fax +30-1-807.57.67
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.greekhelsinki.gr
_______________________________________

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