Macedonians rally to defend name

5,000 people gathered in front of the Macedonian Parliament Wednesday protesting against any change in the country's name. As the dispute with Greece heats up, the crowd, made up of mainly young people, were waving Macedonian flags and displaying banners with messages reading, "We have only one name", "Our name is not for sale" and "The Youth says Macedonia." Macedonians rally to defend name "Macedonia was, is, and will be Macedonia," was the main message of the protest. Several students from the organizers, two popular young pop singers and a famous actor addressed the crowd before the protesters dispersed after about an hour. There were claims by speakers that the protest was merely a dress rehearsal that should serve as a warning to anyone who dares to change Macedonia's name. Macedonia should halt United Nations-sponsored negotiations on its disputed constitutional name because they are absurd, the speakers told the crowd. Large numbers of police were deployed to secure foreign embassies. Police in riot gear sealed off all streets leading to the Greek Liaisons Office in the center of the capital, to prevent a repeat of an last week's incident where youngsters attempted to pelt the building with stones. At one point, protesters tried to break through the police cordon to reach the embassy, but failed. One photographer was hurt as protesters threw stones at the police. Athens disputes Skopje’s use of its constitutional name, “Republic of Macedonia” saying the term Macedonia is a part of Greek national heritage and its use by others implies territorial claims on its northern province of the same name. A rally led by the Greek ultra-nationalist right wing party Popular Orthodox Rally Party, LAOS, in Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki was supposed to happen at a same time but was rescheduled for next week at the last minute. It was expected to urge Greek leaders not to accept any compromises in the name dispute. On February 19, the UN mediator in the dispute, Matthew Nimetz handed both sides a proposal for a compromise solution in a last ditch attempt to resolve the 13 year-old dispute before April’s NATO summit in Bucharest, where Greece is threatening to veto Macedonia’s membership bid if a solution is not reached by then.

Macedonians rally to defend name

"Macedonia was, is, and will be Macedonia," was the main message of the protest.

Several students from the organizers, two popular young pop singers and a famous actor addressed the crowd before the protesters dispersed after about an hour.

There were claims by speakers that the protest was merely a dress rehearsal that should serve as a warning to anyone who dares to change Macedonia's name.

Macedonia should halt United Nations-sponsored negotiations on its disputed constitutional name because they are absurd, the speakers told the crowd.

Large numbers of police were deployed to secure foreign embassies. Police in riot gear sealed off all streets leading to the Greek Liaisons Office in the center of the capital, to prevent a repeat of an last week's incident where youngsters attempted to pelt the building with stones.

At one point, protesters tried to break through the police cordon to reach the embassy, but failed. One photographer was hurt as protesters threw stones at the police.

Athens disputes Skopje’s use of its constitutional name, “Republic of Macedonia” saying the term Macedonia is a part of Greek national heritage and its use by others implies territorial claims on its northern province of the same name.

A rally led by the Greek ultra-nationalist right wing party Popular Orthodox Rally Party, LAOS, in Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki was supposed to happen at a same time but was rescheduled for next week at the last minute.

It was expected to urge Greek leaders not to accept any compromises in the name dispute.

On February 19, the UN mediator in the dispute, Matthew Nimetz handed both sides a proposal for a compromise solution in a last ditch attempt to resolve the 13 year-old dispute before April’s NATO summit in Bucharest, where Greece is threatening to veto Macedonia’s membership bid if a solution is not reached by then.