The Facebook group called “Committee for the struggle of the Greekness of Macedonia” (@macedoniarally) says it is ready to organise demonstrations in 21 Greek cities to express its opposition to the prospect of the Greek government caving in on the name dispute issue with FYROM and conceding any derivative form of the name Macedonia. The following cities (until now) are expected to take part in the nationwide rallies, which are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 6 at 7.30 pm:
Pella, Kavala, Drama, Serres, Kilkis, Polykastro, Lagadas, Nea Moudania, Edessa, Florina, Kastoria, Ptolemaida, Katerini, Veria, Larissa, Thebes, Ioannina, Rhodes, Chania, Corfu and Chalkida. As Michalis Patsikas, one of the members of the organising committee, said, participation in the rallies will be large given the positive feedback he has received from the public.
Meanwhile, the Mayors of several Macedonian cities have voiced their strong support for the gatherings for Macedonia. Several municipal councils have taken decisions to support the demonstrations. Metropolitans from Macedonia have also expressed their backing of the Macedonian Committee.
Dozens of buses have been chartered to transport participants from villages or smaller towns to the large cities where the rallies will be held.
The exact point that the citizens will gather in each city will be announced by the relevant municipal authority.
In the meantime, the Greek Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikos Kotzias expressed the hope that the difficulties on the name issue would be overcome soon in an interview on state-run broadcaster ERT1.