Greeks regard Alexander the Great as wholly theirs, and reckon that Skopje’s claim to him is absurd
is off to the dump. If the authorities in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, have their way, statues and monuments glorifying him, his father Philip II and other ancient, mythical and more modern Macedonians around the city will soon be yanked off their pedestals and dispatched to a distant park on a reclaimed rubbish tip.
Skopje was refurbished by the previous city authorities, who lost power in 2017. One aim of their €685m renovation project was to instil pride in an antique Macedonian past centring on Alexander, the general who created an empire stretching as far east as Pakistan by the age of 30. But Greeks regard Alexander as wholly theirs, and reckon that Skopje’s claim to him is absurd.
A new coalition government finally managed to end the 27-year-old conflict with Greece in 2018 by agreeing to change the country’s name from Macedonia to North Macedonia. The Social Democrats who now run Skopje have talked of removing a giant Alexander statue, and others of him and other heroes, though done little. Cost is one reason, says Nikola Naumoski, the mayor’s chief of staff, but politics is a bigger one. Every statue is “like a landmine”, he says. If they are removed, protests will erupt. For that reason, the government pressed the city authorities to hold off on purging the plinths.accession talks with North Macedonia, infuriating its government.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline "Deplinthing Alexander"
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
Coronavirus Is Remaking Trump’s Anti-Biden StrategyThe pandemic has disrupted Trump’s reelection tactics, shifting the focus from tearing down Biden to garnering national trust.
Leer más »
Dolly Parton Breaks Down in Tears Mourning Kenny Rogers as Other Stars Pay TributeBlake Shelton, LeAnn Rimes and others joined Dolly to pay their respects to the country music icon (via toofab)
Leer más »
17 Absolutely Heartbreaking Pictures Of Celebrities In QuarantineI'm tearing up.
Leer más »
With Netflix's Self-Made, Black Beauty Pioneer Madam C.J. Walker Finally Gets Her Due“What this woman was able to do in the 1900s and her vision—how did she ever imagine that she could do it at that time?' Director kasi_lemmons on Netflix's latest binge-worthy series, SelfMade: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker.
Leer más »