A bitter rivalry between two foreign nations competing over the Macedonian namesake has erupted in Melbourne.
Tensions flared between Greece and a small nation in the Balkan Peninsula following a rally on Sunday, with ‘disgusting and racists’ flags being flown across the city.
Giant posters, some emblazoned with crude gestures and swear words, have been hung above busy highways, tall structures, and on the walls of opposing groups’ buildings.
One of the posters referring to Greece’s claim to the Macedonian namesake featured a rude finger and swastika
Giant offensive posters were hung above busy highways by Balkan Peninsula support groups
As Greek Australians stormed the city over the weekend, banners were hung by Balkan support groups with messages like ‘Greeks are Turks’ and ‘Macedonia never Greek’.
One poster featured a hand pulling the rude finger alongside a swastika, with the words ‘F*** Greece for unfairness. F***in racists’.
The big offensive sign was plastered across a wall on the Greek Orthodox Church in North Balwyn, about 10km east of the CBD.
A Greek flag hung next to a large banner stating ‘Greeks are Turks’ from a footbridge above the Eastern Freeway had been embellished with a giant drawing of a penis.
A Greek flag had been embellished with a giant drawing of a penis (right) while posters were hung ahead of the rally encouraging Greeks to join in the protest
Red spray-painted graffiti on the offices used by the Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria read, ‘Macedonia never Greek!’.
The Greek Consulate hung large advertisement signs ahead of Sunday’s rally stating ‘Macedonia is Greek’, along with the time and date of the protest.
Tensions date back to 1991 when Macedonia seceded from Yugoslavia and Greece claimed rights to the name because Macedonia was already a region in the country’s central north.
Red spray-painted graffiti on the offices used by the Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria read, ‘Macedonia never Greek!’
One of the signs aimed at offending Greek Australians stated, ‘Greeks are Turks’
But about two million people in the Balkan Peninsula, referred to as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, have also claimed the right to the name.
Their position stemmed from Yugoslavia having a republic called Macedonia before it disintegrated.
The Macedonian Coalition called on its Australian Facebook followers on Monday to join it in its rebuttal rally in Melbourne on March 4.
The Macedonian Coalition called on its Australian Facebook followers on Monday to join it in its rebuttal rally in Melbourne on March 4