Greeks rally against Macedonia
MORE than 100,000 Greeks staged a mass rally in Athens yesterday, urging the government not to compromise in a festering name row with neighbouring Macedonia.
Organisers claimed 1.5 million people from across Greece and the Greek diaspora turned out to express their opposition to attempts by the government of Alexis Tsipras, the prime minister, to broker a deal. Police put the figure at around 140,000.
Greeks chanted “Hands off Macedonia”, and “Macedonia is Greek”. The dispute has remained unresolved since the former Yugoslav republic’s independence in 1991.
Greece considers the name Macedonia to be part of its own cultural heritage. Athens seeks guarantees that the use of the name by its neighbour implies no claim to parts of its territory, and says it is ready to accept a composite name that will distinguish it from Greek Macedonia.
Because of Greece’s objections, Macedonia in 1993 joined the United Nations as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.