OUR NERVES ARE GOING TO EXPLODE HERE AT HELLASFRAPPE. When we uncovered a "feta product" several weeks ago that is being manufactured in Canada called "Triple A Cheese Macedonian Feta cheese" we immediately contacted the Pan-Macedonian Association in the United States to take action. Just several days ago, we found out that feta cheese has been branded as a "generic product" in Canada, and according to Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Dollis a "mere" land origin indication cannot be registered as a PDO brand in Canada, referring exclusively to the product that is produced in Greece. Basically, what this means is that Greek Canadians and Americans are consuming a type of feta cheese, made by a company with FYROM interests thinking that it is made in Greece because it has the name Macedonia!
WAKE UP ADERFIA in Canada and in the US! We didn't expect anything else from the people leading this country, especially Mr. Dollis who along with the PASOK party turns away from FYROManian propaganda but we sure as hell are waiting for our Omogeneia to take action!
Based in Ontario and representing FYROM interests, Triple A Cheese Co LTD produces the product called “Macedonian Cheese Feta” for the Canadian and US markets, despite the fact that the term ‘feta’ cheese has been recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product and produced only in Greece.
The European Commission adopted measures to protect the Greek “Feta” in June 1996, which were reconfirmed in 2002 and 2005. According to the PDO decision, the European Commission gives other nations five years to find a new name for their “feta” cheese, or to stop production.
Already the Canadian media has been promoting the advertisement of the Triple A Cheese product.
In Greece, and commenting on this subject, the state news agency quoted Dollis as saying that almost fifty percent of Canada’s feta imports come from Greece and that the Free Trade Agreement being negotiated between Greece and Canada includes the EU list registering all European PDO products that will be protected with its bilateral signing. This list includes, among others, 16 Greek products such as feta, olive oils and olive oil from Kalamata.
LAOS MP Thanos Plevris told Agroschannel that it is outrageous for feta to be considered “generic” in such a vast market as the Canadian one. “The brand name must be protected and the Greek state has long postponed taking any action about it,” added the MP.
In Greece, the thought of FYROManians in Canada producing a product and provokingly labeling it "Macedonian Feta Cheese" has been featured on hundreds of blogs, but it still has yet to be addressed by the mainstream media. However, it must of hit a nerve at some state level because Dollis said that as far as Skopje is concerned, Greece has the right to bring the case before the European Commission.
Editor's Note - If we wait for this government to take action... then we will wait forever. They will never break eggs with these type of interests. Aderfia Listen... Hellasfrappe is not going to tell you whether to purchase this product or not. This is by far your own decision... We just want to point to several things before you do anything. Firstly the product is being produced by a company with FYROM interests. Secondly and MOST IMPORTANTLY it is branded under the name "Macedonia" which cannot be used as a brand because it directly breaches the interim decision between Greece and FYROM they are obligated to use the name FYROM on all their activity beyond their boarders. This is probably why Dolllis said that he will take action at the European Commission. Thirdly they are calling it "Feta" and as we all know Feta is 100 PERCENT a GREEK PRODUCT and everything else has to be labeled as white cheese. These provocations speak volumes. Finally, even the logo used on the product stems from the colors of FYROM's provocative flag. Like we said... we cannot tell you what to do... Just be on your guard -AND GET INFORMED- before you purchase feta cheese, until this idiotic trade agreement is finalized.
References -
http://canada.greekreporter.com/2012/03/20/company-of-fyrom-interests-launches-macedonian-feta-cheese/
http://canada.greekreporter.com/2012/04/12/feta-cheese-goes-generic-in-canada/
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