Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The relatively new government in Skopje has thrown itself into an international public relations campaign as a new United Nations-buffered effort to resolve the name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) gets under way.

NATO's secretary-general urged the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Thursday to solve its 25-year-old name dispute with alliance member Greece and proceed with wide-ranging reforms if it wants its membership bid to succeed.

As the latest United Nations-mediated effort to resolve a dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) gets under way, MPs and supporters of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party have stepped up their protests, interrupting a session of Thessaloniki's municipal authority on Tuesday night.

Political developments in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Greece have created "a window of opportunity" to resolve the name dispute between the two Balkan neighbors, Greek alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos has said.

More than 140 countries already refer to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) as "Republic of Macedonia," deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis said on Wednesday, adding that the Greek government wants an agreement on a composite name that will be used by everyone.

Efforts to revive the debate about the official name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are linked to Washington's desire to induct that country into NATO, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference.

In an interview with state broadcaster ERT, the United Nations special mediator in the name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Matthew Nimetz, stressed the need for negotiations aimed at resolving the disagreement to be completed and citizens to focus on a resolution.

Seven in 10 Greeks are against the word Macedonia forming part of the official name for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Balkan state bordering Greece, according to a new opinion poll. 

Many people wonder why the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's name reappeared all of a sudden. The answer lies in the geopolitical game that is being played out in the Western Balkans, Ekathimerini writes.

Panos Kammenos, the leader of junior coalition partner Independent Greeks (ANEL), has proposed holding a referendum on the name dispute with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.