New protests against the possible change of the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia were held in Skopje on the evening of February 27, Focus news agency reported.
About 5000 people, most of them youths, gathered to protest in the city's Pela square at about 7pm local time. They called on authorities not to dorp constitutional name and carried posters saying “Macedonia is not new-born to receive a new name” and “We give up Nato, but will not give up the name of Macedonia”. The protest was held under strict police surveillance.
The ruling Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) of Macedonian prime minster Nikola Grouevski said it supported the protest.
Part of the protesters reached the building of the heavily guarded Greek diplomatic representation in Skopje and threw stones, fire-works and bottles at the cars of its employees. The police managed to scatter the protesters and expanded the perimeter under guard, Focus news agency said.
The dispute between Greece and Macedonia over the its name has been going on for 17 years now. Since Macedonia broke away from former Yugoslavia in 1991, it has insisted to be recognised under its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. The Greeks, however, insist that since Macedonia is the name of Northern Greece, having the Macedonians use it as the official name of their country may be indicative of their implicit territorial claims over the Greek province.
Since the United Nations-mediated talks between the two parties have so far not resulted in settling the conflict, Greece (a Nato and EU member state) threatens to veto Macedonia getting invited to join Nato at its April 2008 summit in Bucharest unless a solution is found. It also threatens to block Macedonia's EU aspirations.
Another round of talks between Greece and Macedonia was held in Athens on February 19 2008, with UN special envoy on the name issue Matthew Nimetz proposing new solutions for consideration. The next round of talks on Nimetz' proposals will be held in New York on February 29 2008.
On March 3, 2008 Nato secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will visit Athens to join the negotiations on the name issue and meet Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis.
