Scientific Conference – Hellenic Parliament Foundation & IMMA
“Macedonia in the Greek Parliament, 1897–1989”

The scientific conference co-organized by the Foundation of the Hellenic Parliament for Parliamentarism and Democracy and the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA), titled “Macedonia in the Greek Parliament, 1897–1989”, was successfully held on Monday, October 13, 2025, at the School of Law of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH).

The conference marked the culmination of a two-year research program involving emerging historians under the supervision of AUTH Professors Mr. Vassilios K. Gounaris and Mr. Ioannis D. Stefanidis. The findings of the program are included in a collective volume published in May 2025, titled Macedonia in the Greek Parliament, 1897–1989.

Speakers at the event were the contributors and authors of the volume.
The first session focused on the period 1897–1936 and how events of that era were perceived by members of the Greek Parliament, with reference to Macedonia. Dr. Konstantinos S. Papanikolaou discussed the Greek and other cohabiting peoples’ claims over Macedonia during 1897–1911. Associate Professor at AUTH Ms. Eleftheria Manda presented the “iron decade” of 1912–1922, Dr. Konstantinos Diogos analyzed the conflict between natives and refugees, and Dr. Andreas Bouroutis examined the Jewish MPs of the interwar period. The first session concluded with Associate Professor at AUTH Mr. Stratos Dordanas summarizing the researchers’ conclusions, emphasizing continuities and discontinuities in the parliamentary discourse on Macedonia.

The second session covered the period 1946–1989. Dr. Vasilis Kollaros revealed unknown aspects of the parliamentary debate on Macedonia during the Civil War. Assistant Professor at Neapolis University Pafos Mr. Konstantinos Doukakis discussed post-war reconstruction debates concerning the region, while Assistant Professor at AUTH Mr. Dimitris Livanios examined Macedonia’s role in the speeches of MPs from the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and the United Democratic Left (EDA) between 1926 and 1967. Finally, Dr. Vasiliki Bouranta focused on how Greek MPs envisioned the future of Thessaloniki in the post-dictatorship era. The session concluded with overall remarks by AUTH Professor Mr. Thanasis Sfikas.

The conference ended with a round-table discussion moderated by Professor Mr. Evanthis Hatzivassiliou, Secretary General of the Foundation of the Hellenic Parliament for Parliamentarism and Democracy and Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). Participants included the Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia–Thrace Sector) Mr. Konstantinos P. Gioulekas, and former Deputy Ministers and Ministers of Macedonia–Thrace, Mr. Theodoros Karaoglou, Ms. Aikaterini Notopoulou, and Mr. Georgios Paschalidis.
The discussion addressed issues such as whether Macedonia remained a region with special needs during the post-dictatorship period, unresolved developmental challenges in Thessaloniki, the importance of the distinct identities of various population groups in Macedonia, and the extent to which these influence voters’ political behavior.

Greetings were delivered by the Deputy Minister of Development and former Minister of Macedonia–Thrace Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, the Deputy Regional Governor for Health and Social Solidarity of the Region of Central Macedonia Ms. Melina Dermetzopoulou, the Dean of the School of Law at AUTH Mr. Panagiotis Glavinis, the Secretary General of the Foundation of the Hellenic Parliament for Parliamentarism and Democracy Mr. Evanthis Hatzivassiliou, and the President of IMMA Mr. Nikolaos K. Margaropoulos.
The event was attended by a large audience, including representatives of local institutions, journalists, and university students.