Tens of thousands gather in Athens in Macedonia name row
More than 100,000 demonstrators from across Greece converged yesterday on Athens’ main square to protest at a potential Greek compromise in a dispute with neighbouring Macedonia over the former Yugoslav republic’s official name.
Hundreds of chartered buses brought protesters from around the country while more people arrived on ferries from the islands. Traffic was blocked throughout the city centre and three major underground stops were closed.
Chanting “Hands off Macedonia” and “Macedonia belongs to Greece”, the protesters converged on Syntagma Square, many waving flags bearing the Star of Vergina, the emblem of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia.
Police officials estimated the attendance at 140,000. Organisers, who claimed 1.5 million were at the rally, used a crane to raise a massive Greek flag over the square.
“We are trying to show the politicians... that they must not give up the name Macedonia,” said Manos Georgiou, 55.
In Skopje, a spokesman for the Macedonian government said he did not know whether his government would react to the rally.
Macedonian opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski said that the rally would hurt the prospects of a deal on the name issue. Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras was dismissive of the event.