United Macedonian Diaspora

The United Macedonian Diaspora (Macedonian: Обединета Македонска Дијаспора) is registered as a non-profit organization advocating for the rights of ethnic Macedonians globally. It is classified by some observers as Macedonian ultra-nationalist organization.[2]

United Macedonian Diaspora
Обединета Македонска Дијаспора
Formation2004
Type501(c)(3) organization
HeadquartersWashington, DC, United States
Region served
Worldwide
President
Metodija Koloski[1]
Websiteumdiaspora.org

Overview

The United Macedonian Diaspora is based in Washington, DC. Its activities include the sponsorship of educational, cultural, and linguistic programming, providing scholarships, organizing various youth programs, and giving aid to causes in Southeast Europe.[3] The United Macedonian Diaspora was created as a joint initiative of young Macedonian activists in Australia and North America.[4]

The views of the organization typically align with the nationalist-leaning factions of the country.[5][6] Some sources link UMD to the nationalist policies of the former Macedonian Prime Minister Gruevski.[7] The UMD has opposed the law that made Albanian a co-official language in North Macedonia.[8]

Criticism

The United Macedonian Diaspora has been criticized by news outlet Balkan Insight and the director of North Macedonia's State Statistical Office for inflating the size of the Macedonian Diaspora by including descendants of emigrants from Ottoman Macedonia.[9]

References
  1. RFE/RL (10 February 2020). "Hopes Of North Macedonia's Honeyland Dashed At Oscars, Still Makes Country Proud". Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. Instead of promoting peace, stability, and democracy in the Balkans, the Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), with Nikola Gruevski as leader and prime minister of FYROM, has embarked on an effort to spread its propaganda tentacles to the outside world, especially to the United States and Canada, by supporting and promoting several ultra-nationalist organizations. The best known such organization is the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD), headed by Metodija A. Koloski. Emboldened by the rush of thoughtless and politically motivated propaganda stunts, UMD methodically and ruthlessly displays a naked and well-financed and intransigent propaganda effort, the main target of which is Greece. Papavizas, George. (2012). FYROM: A source of Balkan instability. Mediterranean Quarterly. Duke University Press; Issue 2 (23); pp. 42-63; (46).
  3. "United Macedonian Diaspora". 2020census. US Census Bureau. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. Mascitelli, Mycak, Papalia, Bruno, Sonia, Gerardo (2016). The European Diaspora in Australia. Cambridge Scholars. ISBN 1-4438-8816-8.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Jane Bojadzievski (13 June 2018). "Macedonian President to Veto Name Deal with Greece". Voa News. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  6. Barkan, Elliott Robert (2013). Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. ABC-CLIO LLC. ISBN 978-1-59884-219-7.
  7. Ioannis Michaletos, The role of the pressure groups in FYROM. 09 Nov. 2008, RIEAS Research Institute for European and American studies.
  8. "Мето Колоски и Арбен Таравари во „Само вистина" 21.03.2018".
  9. "Wildly Wrong: North Macedonia's Population Mystery". Balkan Insight. 2020-05-14. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
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