PARIS: The name selected by the small European nation of Macedonia at its independence 27 years in the past has ever since been rejected by Greece, provoking an impassioned dispute.
For Greece the name is part of its personal cultural heritage, a supply of pleasure as that of an historical province that used to be the core of Alexander the Great's empire more than 2,000 years in the past.
The sour row has stalled the efforts of the brand new nation to take its place in the European Union and other world institutions.
As the Greek and Macedonian overseas ministers meet in Vienna on Friday amid a brand new push for a solution, right here is some background.
Macedonia declares its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 however its world popularity is right away blocked by Greece because of the name.
Besides claiming it as part of its heritage, Greece also has a province bordering the brand new nation that has the same name and fears Skopje is also harbouring territorial ambitions.
In 1992 more than one million Greeks join a rally in the northern city of Thessaloniki, once a very powerful city in historical Macedonia, to proclaim "Macedonia is Greek".
It is handiest with the adoption of a provisional name -- the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) -- that the country is in spite of everything admitted into the United Nations in 1993.
Most other nations, together with Russia and the United States, later recognise its constitutional identify, the Republic of Macedonia.
In 1994 Greece pushes its level by enforcing an economic embargo on Macedonia, together with fighting it from the usage of the port at Thessaloniki, its main buying and selling put up.
Greece also calls for Macedonia drops from its flag the rayed sun of Vergina, which it claims is an historical Greek image, in addition to positive articles from its charter.
In September 1995 the neighbours check in New York an accord opening the way for a normalisation in their trade and political ties, however leave hanging the name dispute.
The following month they open liaison workplaces of their respective capitals and a brand new Macedonian flag -- with the controversial sun replaced -- is raised for the first time at the United Nations.
Macedonia turns into a candidate for club of the European Union in 2005 however Greece blocks the start of negotiations, which should be agreed unanimously.
In 2008 Macedonia presents itself as a candidate for club of the NATO army alliance, under the provisional name, however is once more met with a Greek veto.
Relations sink with the erection in Skopje in 2011 of a huge statue of Alexander the Great. Athens sees this as an attempt to appropriate certainly one of its biggest army heroes.
Soon after his election in June 2017, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev promises a brand new push to settle the dispute and relaunch the force for EU and NATO club.
There is optimism after mediation talks at the UN headquarters in January.
But tens of 1000's of people display in Thessaloniki later that month to insist "Macedonia is Greek and this is not negotiable".
Zaev announces his nation will drop Alexander the Great's name from that of its main world airport and a key freeway.
Early February he says Macedonia will also include a geographic designation in a long run name.
Suggestions that circulate include Upper Macedonia, Northern Macedonia, Vardar Macedonia and Macedonia-Skopje.
For Greece the name is part of its personal cultural heritage, a supply of pleasure as that of an historical province that used to be the core of Alexander the Great's empire more than 2,000 years in the past.
The sour row has stalled the efforts of the brand new nation to take its place in the European Union and other world institutions.
As the Greek and Macedonian overseas ministers meet in Vienna on Friday amid a brand new push for a solution, right here is some background.
Macedonia declares its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 however its world popularity is right away blocked by Greece because of the name.
Besides claiming it as part of its heritage, Greece also has a province bordering the brand new nation that has the same name and fears Skopje is also harbouring territorial ambitions.
In 1992 more than one million Greeks join a rally in the northern city of Thessaloniki, once a very powerful city in historical Macedonia, to proclaim "Macedonia is Greek".
It is handiest with the adoption of a provisional name -- the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) -- that the country is in spite of everything admitted into the United Nations in 1993.
Most other nations, together with Russia and the United States, later recognise its constitutional identify, the Republic of Macedonia.
In 1994 Greece pushes its level by enforcing an economic embargo on Macedonia, together with fighting it from the usage of the port at Thessaloniki, its main buying and selling put up.
Greece also calls for Macedonia drops from its flag the rayed sun of Vergina, which it claims is an historical Greek image, in addition to positive articles from its charter.
In September 1995 the neighbours check in New York an accord opening the way for a normalisation in their trade and political ties, however leave hanging the name dispute.
The following month they open liaison workplaces of their respective capitals and a brand new Macedonian flag -- with the controversial sun replaced -- is raised for the first time at the United Nations.
Macedonia turns into a candidate for club of the European Union in 2005 however Greece blocks the start of negotiations, which should be agreed unanimously.
In 2008 Macedonia presents itself as a candidate for club of the NATO army alliance, under the provisional name, however is once more met with a Greek veto.
Relations sink with the erection in Skopje in 2011 of a huge statue of Alexander the Great. Athens sees this as an attempt to appropriate certainly one of its biggest army heroes.
Soon after his election in June 2017, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev promises a brand new push to settle the dispute and relaunch the force for EU and NATO club.
There is optimism after mediation talks at the UN headquarters in January.
But tens of 1000's of people display in Thessaloniki later that month to insist "Macedonia is Greek and this is not negotiable".
Zaev announces his nation will drop Alexander the Great's name from that of its main world airport and a key freeway.
Early February he says Macedonia will also include a geographic designation in a long run name.
Suggestions that circulate include Upper Macedonia, Northern Macedonia, Vardar Macedonia and Macedonia-Skopje.
Macedonia: A decades-long quarrel over a name
![Macedonia: A decades-long quarrel over a name]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 31, 2018
Rating:
