I've been following the row over Macedonia joining the EU and NATO, and I'm having a hard time understanding why there is so much bad blood. Is it really just the name, or is the name merely a symptom of a deeper disagreement? According to the BBC, Greek officials claim that Macedonia has designs on northern Greece, but it's hardly realistic to think that Macedonia can challenge Greece militarily. Is there some concern that Greek Macedonia might secede?

There's a lot of things in a name. Yes it is about the name. But I'm not really the person to expand on this. Just one small comment.

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but it's hardly realistic to think that Macedonia can challenge Greece militarily.

The fact we've been in this neighborhood longer than most has taught us a few lessons (and we've forgotten even more).

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Is there some concern that Greek Macedonia might secede?

Of course like you I would say 'don't be ridiculous', but being nearsighted in the past is what has gotten us in this debacle to begin with.

Did some guy called Alex just get promoted to the top position in the Macedonian army?

I guess it's a complex issue.

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Originally posted by lithos:
I guess it's a complex issue.

lol!!!

One good example of the name issue is in fact that guy Alex. Alexander the Great was Macedonian. That Macedonia was part of Greece. Say FYROM do get the name. Alexander the Great will become FYROMian just like that. 'Cause who will say "Yeah, he was Macedonian, but not from the country, from that region in Greece"??? Thing is by the name they're trying to claim a history that's not really theirs.

Wasn't Macedonia, back in the days when you could walk around naked, Andreas, just another one of those city-states that were all over the Greek peninsula?

Wait, that doesn't work, 'cause he united them. Er. Carry on.

It all seems a bit odd. Like the Welsh bitching about the state here that's wedged between Queensland and Victoria.

Well, not so much united as comquered, but something like that. Like was Sparti and Athens and Aigion and so on. All those city-states came to form Greece. We now have a providence called Macedonia, that's right there on the northen borders with FYROM. It's a bit suspicious for a country to want the name of the neighbouring providence of another country. I'm just oversimplifying things here.

To be honest I don't really mind about the name. I think we (the greek goverment and officials) should focus on preserving the history and all that is Greek that comes with the name.