21 September 2007

What's in a name?

If you are a tiny country in the Balkans quite a lot actually. Whilst the residents of Skopje are undoubtedly overjoyed with Canada's decision to refer to their country as the "Republic of Macedonia" the same cannot be said of the residents of Athens would insist that it be called the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonaa" as that is the name of a Greek province and they consider the name to belong to them. Greece has threatened to block Macedonia's bid to join the EU and NATO unless this issue is resolved (in Greece's favour).

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