by Sasha Uzunov
The European Union has broken a 2-year vow of media silence on the touchy issue of why it supports Albanian Neo-Nazi extremists in Macedonia, in particular, the DUI nationalist party
After the initial refusal of the European Union’s Ambassador to Macedonia, Samuel Zbogar, and high ranking mandarins Johannes Hahn and Frederica Mogherini to comment back in 2018, an EU spokesperson Anna Pisonero issued this statement:
““We work with democratically elected representatives in North Macedonia.” (see email below)
Interestingly enough, the EU spokesperson did not dispute that DUI was an Albanian Neo-Nazi party with an extremist agenda. Moreover, Adolf Hitler, the founder of Nazism, was democratically elected to power in Germany in 1933. He was responsible for starting World War II and the Holocaust.
PARADOX OVER NEO-NAZIS?
In more recent times, Neo-Nazis have been “democratically elected” in Europe such as Golden Dawn in Greece, which is anti-EU, but has largely been treated as an international pariah unlike DUI, which is seen as a US proxy installed in Macedonia during a 2001 war in that country.
The question put to the EU was: “why does EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi endorse or work with Mr Bujar Osmani, Deputy PM of Macedonia? Are you aware that Mr Osmani holds extremist Albanian Neo-Nazi views? He is a member of the DUI political party – an ultra right-wing nationalist Albanian nationalist party in Macedonia which openly regards WW2 Albanian Nazi collaborators as heroes. One of his party members, Nevzat Bejta, has built statues to Albanian Nazi collaborators. As you’re well aware Nazi statues are banned in Germany.”
More on Albanian Neo Nazi party in Macedonia, DUI, and its leader Ali Ahmeti, at this link
EU EMAIL
From: Ana.PISONERO-HERNANDEZ@ec.europa.eu <Ana.PISONERO-HERNANDEZ@ec.europa.eu>
Sent: Thursday, 9 April 2020 11:03 PM
To: sashauzunov@hotmail.com <sashauzunov@hotmail.com>
Cc: Fabio.SPADI@eeas.europa.eu <Fabio.SPADI@eeas.europa.eu>; Peter.STANO@ec.europa.eu <Peter.STANO@ec.europa.eu>; Adam.KAZNOWSKI@ec.europa.eu <Adam.KAZNOWSKI@ec.europa.eu>
Subject: Media query
Dear Sasha,
Your question travelled all the world from Australia to Brussels!
Please find here the reply to your answer, you can attribute to me or to a Spokesperson of the Commission,
Best regards,
Ana Pisonero
“We work with democratically elected representatives in North Macedonia”
From: SPADI Fabio (EEAS-CANBERRA) <Fabio.SPADI@eeas.europa.eu>
Sent: 08 April 2020 05:24
To: MOMOT Ireneusz (EEAS) <Ireneusz.MOMOT@eeas.europa.eu>; GUEGUEN Catherine (EEAS) <Catherine.GUEGUEN@eeas.europa.eu>
Cc: PEDLEY Nick (EEAS-CANBERRA) <Nick.PEDLEY@eeas.europa.eu>; DUNKERLEY Susanna Louise (EEAS-CANBERRA) <Susanna.DUNKERLEY@eeas.europa.eu>
Subject: Fwd: MEDIA QUESTION
Bizzare query. we need a reply from the unit or desk in charge, I would suggest directly from then to mr Uzunov.
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Sasha Uzunov <sashauzunov@hotmail.com>
Date: 8 April 2020 at 12:35:44 pm AEST
To: “SPADI Fabio (EEAS-CANBERRA)” <Fabio.SPADI@eeas.europa.eu>
Subject: MEDIA QUESTION
Dr Fabio SPADI
Political, Press and Information Section
Human Rights Focal Point
Email: fabio.spadi@eeas.europa.eu(link sends e-mail)
tel: +61 2 6271 2777
Subject: Mr Bujar Osmani, Deputy Prime Minister of Macedonia.
Dear Sir,
My name is Sasha Uzunov, an Australian journalist with 3ZZZ multicultural radio (Macedonian language program) in Melbourne, Australia.
I wanted to ask you a media question – why does EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi endorse or work with Mr Bujar Osmani, Deputy PM of Macedonia? Are you aware that Mr Osmani holds extremist Albanian Neo Nazi views? He is a member of the DUI political party – an ultra right wing nationalist Albanian nationalist party in Macedonia which openly regards WW2 Albanian Nazi collaborators as heroes. One of his party members, Nevzat Bejta, has built statues to Albanian Nazi collaborators. As you’re well aware Nazi statues are banned in Germany.
regards
Sasha Uzunov
Journalist
3ZZZ Radio
Melbourne, Australia