Turkish EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis Says Greece Should ‘Mind Its Own Business’

By on May 16, 2012 in news, Turkey

Turkey’s European Union (EU) Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis expressed “hope” on Wednesday that Greece would deal with its own economic problems. The Turkish Minister made unacceptable statements concerning Greece’s foreign policy in a meeting he had with FYROM’s Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki in Ankara.

Egemen Bagis said he hoped Greece would deal with its own economic problems, instead of dealing with Macedonia’s name, problems regarding the islands and barb wires across the border.

He advised Greece to mind its own business, and let things be when it comes to the Skopjan issue and the regular invasions of Turkish military aircrafts above Greek islands.

“We will support Greece in such a case (if it starts to deal with its economic problems),” Bagis said during his meeting with the Skopjan Minister in the Turkish capital city.

Egemen Bagis commented on the outcome of the Greek elections and the delay of the government formation saying that “everybody had to respect decision of the Greek people in the upcoming new elections.”

Bagis said his ministry decided to sign a cooperation agreement with Skopje to share the two countries’ experiences in EU negotiation process. He explained that Turkey and Skopje were aware that the reason for problems they were trying to overcome on the road to EU was prejudice, apparently pointing to Greece.

It appears that the two countries will form some kind of diplomatic alliance to fight against the “prejudice.”

Skopjan Poposki, in his part, said the EU is indispensable for the region where Turkey and Skopje are situated, and the EU integration process would become richer if it included Turkey and Skopje. The Skopjan foreign minister said it was not an easy path, but a path that would boost the welfare and peace in the Balkan region. Poposki also said everyone had to respect Greek election results.

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  • Greek_Canadian

    Egemen Bagin, and the current Turkish government, is full of baloney. The very well know from Ottoman and cold war records there is no such thing as an “ethnic Macedonian.” Like many FYROM apologists he also now pretends not to notice FYROM’s change into ancient Macedonians.  The evil Nazi should mind his own business and stop manipulating FYROM as a tool to ethnically eradicate Greeks.

  • Kjanev

    Guess what Greek_Canadian! I am an ethnic Macedonian. Say what you like, how you like, when you like, for as long as you like, to whom you like, anything you like about there being no ethnic Macedonians BUT as long as there is one person on God’s green earth saying he/she is an ethnic Macedonian, then there is ethnic Macedonians. It’s called the right to self determination and basic human rights.  By the way, there’s millions of us who identify as such so get over it!

  • PL45

    Most Macedonians on Earth are Greek and have been calling themselves Macedonian for thousands of years.  The people of FYROM mostly call themselves Albanian and Vardar Albania will eventually join Kosovo Albania.  Turkey is a very strong supporter of the Albanians.

    FYROM has some of the worst human rights violations in Europe.  They  murdered all the indigenous Paionia people and spent most of the 20th century trying and failing to murder the Macedonians for the crime of being Greek.   Skopians abducted children during the paziomazoa and helped round up Jews for the Germans to be sent to Treblinka during WW2.

    Its good the vast majority of Historians , Archeologists and Scientists  most familiar with Macedonia side with Greece that Macedonia is Greek and not with the Skopian/Turkish/Tito position.  Academic study trumps propaghanda every time in the long run.  Macedonia Evidence.

  • sikoseto

    There is a right to self determination….BUT when 1 pissant little nation like FYROM tries to steal, falsify, usurp Greek history and culture whilst also having irredentist ambitions on conquering land in Northern Greece thats when you know these Skopjans have lost their mind. Come get Thessaloniki you hillbilly heretics. Macedonia is Greek, Im Macedonian therefore Greek.

    The people of FYROM are Bulgarians, Albanians and Serbs nothing else

  • Aetos

    To Mr Kjanev (a very Makedoniko name).

    First i would like to point out that i wish Turkey joins the EU and also adopts the Euro, lets see what happens. Firstly their prices will double or triple in there supermarkets, then about 10 million Turkish people will immigrate to Germany, France, Sweden, Austria, Great Britain, Denmark to which ever country has a better salary than the one they have in Turkey at the moment.

    Secondly their 300 and 400 Euro salaries will not be sufficient to cope with the Euro changes and charges.

    And Thirdly they will have to have their finances inspected and checked by the IMF, the ECB and other EU departments, and surprise, surprise look at how much corruption is in Turkey. Look at the Lazy Turkish people, Look at the way they don’t pay their taxes.
     

  • Aetos

     

    There is a solution to this
    nations problem.

    The land and area was since
    6 AD known as Moesia.

    Moesia (Latin),  Μοισία (Greek) was an ancient region and later Roman Province
    situated in the Balkans.

    Skopje was actually an
    ancient Roman settlement, first as a Roman Fort, which then developed into a
    city. It’s real name was Scupi.

    Macedonians are Dorians by race
    just like the Lakonians.

    The Skopjians can think they
    are Macedonians but they never will be the real Macedonians just like I am, an ethnic Macedonian from Ellas from the province or state of Makedonia.

    And just to educate you a little
    bit, Skopje was founded by the Romans. And so it belongs to Italy is that not
    so. So your statues should be of Julius Ceasar and Nero.

    Alexander = Alex (helper) Ander
    (man) = helper of men (a Greek name and words).

    Pomochnikchovek = helper of
    man in the Slavic language, so your Skopjan Alexader the Great is Veliko
    Pomochnikchovek.

    Philipos = Phili (freind), ipos
    (horse) = freind of horses ( a Greek name and words).

    Prijatelkoin = friend of horses
    in the Slavic language, so your Skojan Philipos is Prijatelkoin.

    So i really see the similarity between the
    ancient Greek Macedonian language and the Slavic Skopjan language of today.

    Just in case the Skopjian Government does not like the name “Moesia”, there is other alternatives like Alburia ( from the ethnic based people that make up the region Albania and Bulgaria) or Vadarska.

    The choices are there you decide, Skopje.

  • Aetos

     

    FYROM’s former PM Ljubco
    Georgievski blasted his successor to the presidency of the currently rulling
    ”VMRO-DPMNE” party, Nikola Gruevski, in a recent interview to the Radio Free
    Europa.

    The former FYROM’s PM
    attacked the “antiquization” policy of Gruevski and admitted publicly the fact
    that Gruevski attempts to rewrite Greek history.

    “This history about Ancient
    Macedonia which they want today to impose Us as a state policy, i call it a caricature
    of History, because its about unrelated events,” Georgievski stated.

    “Our people is bombarded
    daily with Lies, Misinformation, documentaries where we see that Greek History
    has became Ours and is presented alike. For me its obvious that there is a
    clear distinction of the so-called ancient history of Macedonia and Slavic
    History.

    I still defend the thesis that we can rely on our Slavic Identity, our
    spiritual creators like St Clemes and St Naum. This
    is our history where we can safely rely on. “, he added.

    Regarding the ICJ’s
    judgement, FYROM’s former PM stated:

    “The Judgement of the Hague
    will influence the negotiations between our country and Greece.
    For two months
    we are about to be full of happiness and will say how much powerful we are as
    the moral victors. But it wont be any will for the solution and this will risk
    in danger our country since it couldn’t do anything into the next 2-3 years.”

    When asked if Gruevski’s
    government is in position to compromise with Greece, so the country could enter
    NATO and EU, he replied:

    “No, of course i don’t see
    any sign from our side.

    This is obvious by looking at the state’s journalists
    who preach the government’s policies.
    I don’t think there is anything else than
    what we see in the state’s Media with the government’s propaganda.

    For 4 years
    the government defends the name without having any other alternative.”

    A couple of years ago, Ljubco Georgievski had
    publicly stated in FYROM’s TV that Alexander the Great is considered a Greek, while
    he built through his conquests and left behind a Greek world.

  • Aetos

    It is actually Turkey that has to mind its own business. Mr Egemen Bagis

  • MK

    Since when has Rep. of Macedonia stolen Greek history? And what kind of people are in Greece? A bunch of people put together by the great powers and your name was given to you only 200 years ago. The name Macedonia means nothing to Greece. 

  • Elizabeth

    what are you greeks so afraid of? why do you have so much hate for the macedonians? Solun was in fact taken by Greece. My grandparents are from Solun and they speak Macedonian and identify as such, they will NEVER say they are Greek. They were “detsa begalci” – but you can go ask your government about that as it seems this part of history is something that has been completely erased from your history books. FYI your country didn’t even exist up until a few hundred years ago, so your claims that ancient macedonia is Greek doesn’t even make sense, not to mention that most of you modern day greeks are almost certainly full blooded Turks anyway…all i ever see on any websites is Greek people bashing the Macedonians and their right to self identity. To all the Greeks out there how can you claim to be Christians when you preach such hatred?

  • Aetos

    Now Elizabeth, so what if your grandparents were born in Solun, so was Kemal Ataturk and so were some of my relatives.

    I have to also ask you, you say they spoke Macedonian, do you mean Greek? Because  if your grandparents can read the text in the ancient Macedonian tombs, then they certainly did speak Greek. But what they really spoke was either Serbian or Bulgarian. Because Macedonia up until 1912 – 1913 was under the control and rule of the Ottoman Turks. And within this region lived a multy culity society made up of Greeks, Serbians, Bulgarians, Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, and many other peoples of various origin.

    And Solun as you call it, is not the original name of the city your are refering to it is “Thessaloniki”, a Greek word meaning Thessalian Victory (“Thessalo” and “Niki” or as the western world likes to say Nike) just like the sports brand. Yes Nike is a Greek word.

    I would also like to dissapoint you on you saying that Greeks are full of Turkish Blood. Well if that is a fact then so are your grandparents and so are you. But just to let you know It is that half the Turks have more Greek blood in them than Turkish because they use to collect the young Greek boys for their Jannisaries their elite fighting force. Even Mehmet II had Greek blood flowing through his veins.

    Being Christian has nothing to do with being a Thief, Madame Elizabeth. That is why i personally think your nations should be called Kleptonia, and its people the Kleptes.

  • Anon

    You former self-identifying ethnic Bulgarians stole Greek history the second you start claiming to be “ethnic Macedonians”.

  • Anon

     You can claim to be “ethnic Chinese” if you like but It will never
    change the Greek writing on ancient Macedonian artifacts. No one can
    stop you from evading the fact  the majority of people in FYROM are
    direct descendents of 19th century Bulgarians but we certainly don’t have to participate in your ultra nationalist insanity.

    As for the false claim nations have an an absolute recognition and
    self-determination… I would point out the hypocrities in FYROM deny
    the name and self-determination of the people of the Republic of China
    (aka Taiwan)

    “The Macedonian
    side stated once again that it will not establish official ties of any form or
    conduct official exchanges with Taiwan, and that it opposes Taiwan’s accession
    to any international organization whose membership requires statehood”

    http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6315770.html

  • Anon

     ’We are not related
    to the northern Greeks who produced leaders like Philip and Alexander the
    Great. We are a Slav people and our language is closely related to Bulgarian.’
    - FYROM´s Ambassador to Canada Gyordan Veselinov, Ottawa Citizen Newspaper,
    February 24 1999