“More than 160 nations call this country “Macedonia”, so let’s behave and compromise on a composite name,” Thessaloniki Mayor Yannis Boutaris told Greek Reporter on the naming issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Boutaris spoke exclusively to Greek Reporter over the dominating issue of recent days, ahead of the talks between the two neighbors on the name of FYROM.
“The so-called Macedonian problem exists for more than 100 years and it had an “explosion” after the fall of the Soviet Bloc and the breaking down of ex-Yugoslavia,” Boutaris said.
“We were insulted by the will of some people in the neighboring country who decided to call themselves Macedonians. Macedonia is an area, a region, which covers places in Skopje, Bulgaria, Albania and Greece. Seventy percent of that lies in Greece,” Boutaris said.
“After 25 years of bad relations with Skopje, I think it’s time to compromise and find a name that includes, unfortunately, the word Macedonia and an indication of upper, or north, or new, or whatever,” the Thessaloniki Mayor continued.
“Don’t forget, more than 160 nations all over the world have recognised this country as Macedonia, so let’s behave and compromise on a composite name,” Boutaris concluded.
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