Hans-Lothar Steppan on the Macedonian question: Greece never possessed Macedonian territories before 1912-13

The former German Ambassador to Macedonia, Mr. Hans-Lothar Steppan in an interview for the Macedonian TV channel A1 says that Macedonia does not need to yield in the dispute with Greece and that it is a victim of the European conspiracies from the start of the 20th century. “As I have discovered, history for example proves that Greece never possessed Macedonian territories before 1912-13. Not in ancient times, not in Roman times, not in Slav times, not even in Ottoman times. Only after breaking International law in 1912-13 during the Balkan Wars, together with Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro it occupied and annexed Macedonia, Thrace and Epirus. On that basis Greece stole Macedonian territories, because this was done against international law. This historic connection is completely independent of Macedonias right to self-determination. All people in the world have the right to self-determination. Macedonia too has that right and should decide on its own about its identity and name. No one has the right to interfere.“