An irate Sam Kostoulias has contacted Neos Kosmos to express his anger over a local North Macedonian community group displaying a map “not recognised anywhere in the world, including Australia.”
The map, adorning the wall behind the dance group, includes areas of modern Greece up to the Adriatic.
Kostoulias has shown Neos Kosmos the email missives he sent to Victorian MP Natalie Suleyman, Federal MP Daniel Mulino because they were present at the community dance group’s event and were photographed in front the Star of Vergina and disputed map. The email was cc’ed to Premier Jacinta Allen, and Victorian, Greek Australian polies, Kat Theophanous, Lee Tarmalis, Steve Dimopoulos, Nick Staikos
The map, he wrote, is recognised only by “extreme nationalists of North Macedonia and participating ALP members of parliament.”
He then hit out at the use of the Vergina Sun, in another photo, calling it “a WIPO-protected symbol, a prohibited symbol, and one of the two coats of arms of the Hellenic Republic.”
The symbol of the Vergina Sun has long been used by the Slavic diaspora on all continents, including in Australia. Kostoulias suggests that Labor politicians bent to factions and local constituents, and asks if “the factions agree to this.”
“This is racial [sic] behaviour from foreign interference displayed by a state member of parliament in Victoria and a federal member of parliament in Australia.”
The youthful community group has used the term “Macedonian” rather than “North Macedonian” to identify.
The Prespa Accord of 2018 resolved the decades-long dispute over the Republic of Macedonia’s name. In 2019, the country, formerly known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Those living in North Macedonia, or in its diaspora can identify as they wish, as can any individual in Australia.
Kostoulias has demanded a response, while accusing the politicians of “bad faith, judgement, and behaviour [sic]” .
Kostoulias wrote to the commonwealth Minister for Industry and Science Senator, Tim Ayres, regarding trade mark applications and IP over the Sun of Vergina. The departmental response said, “IP Australia has undertaken a thorough and robust examination of these applications, in accordance with the relevant sections of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth), as it does all applications”.
“I am informed the acceptance of the applications has been opposed by a number of parties, including an entity you are associated with.
“The trade mark opposition process gives the Registrar of Trade Marks an opportunity to hear
from both sides before making a decision.”
Kostoulias will now await to see the outcomes of his labours.
