A country by any other name

Published on 25/06/2012 20:55

Macedonia’s foreign minister has complained to Greece, after Greek border authorities began placing stickers on Macedonian cars that have licence plates with the country designator MK.

Nikola Poposki called the action “a pointless provocation”.

The countries have been in dispute since Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Athens says the name implies a territorial claim on its northern region of Macedonia, a claim rejected by its neighbour.

The sticker reads “Recognised by Greece as FYROM” – referring to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the country’s provisional name at the UN.