Athens had no choice but to expel Russian diplomats, sources say

The evidence regarding Moscow's meddling in Greece with regard to the name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is "irrefutable" according to Greek diplomatic sources after two Russian diplomats were expelled and two Russian nationals were barred from entering the country.

Athens says that Moscow tried to stoke opposition to the name deal as it paved the way for FYROM's induction to NATO, by trying to bribe officials at cultural centers, members of the business community, Orthodox clergymen, as well as extreme-right groups.

Speaking to the Financial Times, a senior Greek diplomat said, "The Russians wanted to bring about a breakdown of the talks," and, "They stepped up their normal meddling in [the Greek regions of] Macedonia and Thrace." Moreover, according to two sources cited by the FT, one of the instances of Russian intervention took place in the...