About: FYROM
Tsipras kills three birds with one stone with North Macedonia deal
With the North Macedonia name change deal recently reached between Athens and Skopje, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has achieved more than improving his international image, by putting pressure on his domestic opponents, writes Nikolaos Koutsimpogiorgos.
EPP’s Weber under pressure to break his silence over Macedonia name deal
Manfred Weber, the European People’s Party (EPP) Spitzenkandidat for the EU elections, has been silent over the name change deal reached this year between Athens and Skopje. The deal has been generally endorsed by the EPP but rejected by some of its members, including those from the two countries involved.
Greek minister optimistic Macedonia name deal will be approved
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias on Thursday (20 September) hailed an agreement with Macedonia on changing its name and opening the way for it to join NATO and the European Union.
Russia expels two Greek diplomats amid growing tensions with Athens
The Russian government decided to expel two Greek diplomats from its territory on Monday (6 August) in response to Greece’s similar “hostile” move last month, according to the Kremlin.
Local Orthodox church asks to drop ‘Macedonia’ from name as talks with Greece continue
In a move of high political importance, the Macedonian Orthodox Church has asked to go back to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, seen as the mother church of Eastern Orthodoxy, and lose the term “Macedonia” from its name.
Hahn ‘confident’ Macedonia name row settled by July
The European Union is "very confident" Macedonia will settle a long-running row with Greece over its name before July, the EU commissioner responsible for enlargement said today (16 February).
Macedonia ready to make concessions in name row
Macedonia, is ready to make concessions over its name by adding an extra geographic designation, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said yesterday (6 February), in a bid to end a long-running row with Greece.
Commission keeps festering Macedonia name dispute at arm’s length
The European Commission made it clear on Monday (5 February) that it will not try to influence the UN-led talks to find a solution to the eternal name dispute between Greece and Macedonia, even though Jean-Claude Juncker is due to visit Skopje by the end of the month.
Hundreds of thousands rally in Athens over Macedonia name row
Hundreds of thousands of Greeks rallied outside parliament in Athens on Sunday (4 February) to protest against the use of the term Macedonia in any settlement the government pursues with the ex-Yugoslav Republic to end a decades-old name row.
EPP chief: ‘Window of opportunity’ to resolve the Macedonian name dispute
The leader of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) Joseph Daul hailed the “window of opportunity” to resolve a long-standing name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), saying he hopes for “concrete” results.
Tensions grow before biggest secret is revealed: FYROM’s new name
The opposition VMRO-DPMNE of former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in Skopje, possibly encouraged by Russia, is trying to hinder the resolution of a name dispute with Greece that has blocked the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) progress in joining NATO and the European Union.
Greece, Macedonia hope for UN proposal this month in chronic name dispute
Greece said yesterday (11 January) it and Macedonia hoped for progress in talks with a UN mediator on 17 January towards settling a long-running dispute over the latter country’s name that has held up Skopje’s EU membership prospects. Greek Foreign...
Macedonia says ‘big step’ made in name row with Greece
Macedonia hailed a "big step" towards resolving a quarter-century-old dispute with neighbour Greece on Tuesday (5 September) over its name that has seen it blocked from NATO and European Union membership talks.
EPP hails positive momentum on Macedonia name dispute
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) is satisfied with the new rapprochement between Skopje and Athens, as the two sides aim to unlock Macedonia's NATO bid and open the door to EU accession talks. But some within the party counselled caution.
EU tells Macedonian politicians to drag country out of crisis
European Union Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn yesterday (9 February) urged political parties in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to reach a swift agreement on the formation of a new government.
Thousands march against government in Macedonia
Several thousand people marched yesterday (11 October) along the streets of Macedonian capital Skopje protesting against the rule of conservative leader Nikola Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE party ahead of December snap elections.
Can Greece copy Morocco, and stop sulking?
Anyone ever tried to get from Athens to Skopje or Pristina? It’s a journey from hell as the excellent Aegean Airlines, which links all the region’s cities, have eliminated Macedonia and Kosovo from their satellite map, writes Denis MacShane.
Macedonia’s EU aspirations in jeopardy
Political uncertainty in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is leading to growing doubts over the country's capacity to meet its EU-accession targets. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Will Greece become the Calais of Europe?
Greece is at risk of becoming one giant refugee hotspot. The closure of its northern border and the continued influx of refugees from Turkey has placed Athens in a critical situation. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
Leaked Skopje letter exposes ‘closed borders’ coalition
EXCLUSIVE / A list of requests to protect external borders recently sent to several member states by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has exposed the weaknesses of the group of countries blocking an EU-wide solution of the refugee crisis.
Holding the EU together with the threat of disintegration
The dynamics of European integration have changed. The EU is no longer moving forward by its power of attraction. Its threats of exclusion have taken a similarly important place, argues Florian Trauner.
Syria fund to help refugees in Macedonia and Serbia
The Syria trust fund, used to help Syrian refugees and overstretched host communities in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, will also be used to help the migrants who made it to Macedonia and Serbia, an EU official said on Monday (1 February).
Macedonian opposition to boycott EU-mediated elections
Macedonian lawmakers voted yesterday (18 January) to dissolve parliament next month ahead of an early election in late April, in line with an EU-backed deal to end a political crisis but under threat of a boycott by the main opposition.