COMUNICAT - PRESS REPORT

The Armâns/the Macedonarmâns, one of the oldest European peoples, aware of their history, national unity and common historical motherland, represented by several associations based in the countries they live in as part of their historical motherland, such as Greece, Albania, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Bulgaria, as well as by associations living in Diaspora, such as Romania and other countries, have decided to establish The Council of the Armâns (CA), which was registered, in July 2008, as a legal entity with the Department of Justice in Tirana, Albania.

The seat of the Council was established at Moscopole, a place of symbolic value for this people with a unitary language, and whose traditions have deep roots in the ancient Macedonian heritage.

The Armân associations in the countries mentioned above, which are constituents of this non governmental organization, have mutually taken this decision as a result of their meetings held in 2005 at Moscopole, Albania, and 2007, at Disentis, Switzerland.

The objective of the Council of the Armâns is to federate all the Armân groups, associations, and private persons who adhere to the principles stated in its statute and who have an interest in the actions and activities undertaken by the Council.

The objectives of the Council of the Armâns are set out in Chapter III of the Statute.

The CA is particularly preoccupied by gaining recognition for the Armâns, in each Balkan country, where they have been living organized in communities since time immemorial, as a distinct, autochthonous, and regional people, who speaks its own millenary language dating back to the ancient Macedonia.

The Council of the Armâns will support the demands of its people concerning their getting the ethnic minority status or that of a constituent people, as it is set out by the European Union legislation and will follow up to assure that all the due rights provided by the statute are granted and respected.

The Council of the Armâns will stand for and act on behalf of all regional, national, and international Armân organizations it consists of. In this capacity, the Council will be empowered to intervene on their behalf, on their demand, by the regional, national, and international representatives with regards to the support and granting of their demands.

The objective of the Council of the Armâns is to assure coordination, collaboration and fulfillment of all initiatives contributing to the preservation and promotion of the Armân language, traditions and all cultural values.

The Council of the Armâns understands its role concerning the protection of all the Armâns regardless of their social or political commitment, wherever they live, whenever their ethnic cultural interests are hurt or endangered.

As it is stated in the Statute, the Council of the Armâns is committed to do everything within its power in order to assure good rapport not only between the Armân organizations and the international structures with which they keep in touch, but also between the Armân organizations within the same geographical area, the southeast Europe, as well as in other distinct countries.

Finally, the Council of the Armâns aspires to become an associate of the debates and programs of the European Council as well as of other European and international organisms concerned about and fighting for the protection of human rights and the rights of the national minorities.

By their nature, the Armâns have always had a social disposition and have played as a link between the people among which they have lived, thus contributing to the formation and development of the Balkan national states. In other words, we can say that the modern history of the Armân people is the history of the national states, to which they have always been faithful citizens. Therefore, the Council of the Armâns wishes to be a new, modern linking bridge between the Armâns and the people they have been living together with for centuries, thus building up together the united free Europe of tomorrow.

The Council of the Armâns

The Executive Bureau