Whittlesea mayor’s use of historic Macedonia flag sparks cultural outrage
Days after axing former cop boss Simon Overland Whittlesea Council is again causing controversy, with Melbourne’s Greek community now gunning for the mayor over an ethnic faux pas.
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Melbourne’s Greek community is demanding Whittlesea Council’s new mayor step down or apologise, after she danced with a “culturally offensive” Macedonian flag at a community event.
It comes after a monitor was appointed to oversee issues and decisions at the embattled council following Tuesday’s controversial axing of Simon Overland as chief executive. Moments before the sacking, the council controversially decided to hold a minute’s silence and “mourning ceremony” as part of its Australia Day celebrations.
Cr Emilia Sterjova posted a photo to Facebook which showed the 23-year-old dancing with a Star of Vergina flag at a Macedonian language graduation ceremony on Monday.
There are almost 700 comments on the post, with social media users slamming Cr Sterjova for the “inappropriate” use of an ancient Hellenic symbol.
The icon was the subject of controversy in the 1990s after the newly-independent Republic of Macedonia, now North Macedonia, emblazoned it on their national flag.
The Greek government claimed the symbol was their own and had been stolen, causing the young republic’s flag to be revised into a rayed solar symbol.
The two countries then signed a Prespes Agreement, which stipulated the removal of the Star of Vergina from public use in North Macedonia.
Whittlesea resident and local Greek community leader George Papadopolous said the “offensive” act had caused division among the Greek and Macedonian communities.
“The Star of Vergina is a Greek symbol — it’s cultural misappropriation,” he said.
“It’s like Indonesia claiming the Eureka flag — it’s offensive to our community.”
Mr Papadopolous said Cr Sterjova should not be welcomed at any of the 18 Greek community venues across Whittlesea unless she apologised or stepped down.
“The mayor is dividing the community with her actions and last time I checked the role of a leader is to unify their community,” he said.
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Pan-Macedonian Federation of Melbourne Victoria president Andrew Ballis said Cr Sterjova had shown “extremely poor judgement”.
“The Star of Vergina has been part of an ongoing dispute between Greece and North Macedonia since 1989,” he said.
“It’s use is discriminatory and offensive to people of Greek culture.
“Putting it up on her Facebook page is even worse judgment — that’s what has really stirred trouble.”
Cr Sterjova has been approached for comment.