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The name of the state is Greek. The ancient people of the area spoke and wrote in Greek. There culture was greek. It's a shame that the former Serbian province was allowed to break away in the first place.
Yeah from my understanding the Macedonian language is nearly identical to Bulgarian, similar to the relationship between Moldovan and Romanian. I think this is why Macedonia is so hard pressed on being called Macedonian so that they don’t get absorbed by Bulgaria.
Please allow me to express my opinion as directly as I see the situation.
The Greeks are being absolutely ridiculous about this (non)issue.
Do you know that there is a province of Belgium called Luxembourg? The Belgians aren't demanding the Luxer's change the name of their country. The US has a state called New Mexico and we aren't demanding the Mexicans change the name of their country.
Pursuing this issue makes the Greeks appear small and petty.
(FYI: I am neither Greek nor Macedonian)
Its possible the Belgian Luxembourg and the separate Luxenbourg were actually once one state continuously before it was split.
Rep of Macedonia only named itself such in 1991. It was called Vardar Banovina before that. Plus it doesnt border the Macedonian province in Greece.
It's not that simple, this issue goes beyond a name, the current fyrom or Macedonians claim that the northern Greek province is occupied and stolen from them, the Macedonian school curriculum teaches them that this land belongs to them, and they hang up maps of a greater Macedonia to prove it, this is clear provocation, don't the Greeks have the right to be annoyed? The Balkans is a very volatile region, if Greece gives in and gives them the name they could pay a very heavy price down the track.
The key here is that the fyrom/Macedonians have won the PR battle, as they use dumbed down arguments like yours above..you know stuff like "pfft big deal it's just a name", they have painted Greece as bullies but the reality is Greece has absolutely every right to protect its history and these absurd claims from north of the border. If anyone had pulled a stunt like this on the US they would have been bombed within a day. The problem is Greece has been too lenient and not taken a tougher stand, the Greek people though have had enough, especially seeing statues of Alexander the Great in fyrom and the airport being named after him.
Without the name the current fyromians don't have the scope to make these claims, that's why the word Macedonia is so important, it gives them historical links to ancient Macedon and to continue provoking Greece by renaming Greek cities and claiming them as their own, for eg Greeces 2nd largest city is Thessaloniki, they claim that the real name is Solun and that Greece stole it, why on earth should the Greeks put up with this nonsense?
So no it's not just a name.
Do the People for the FYROM really have a thing for Alexander? He isnt one of theirs.
Its possible the Belgian Luxembourg and the separate Luxenbourg were actually once one state continuously before it was split.
Rep of Macedonia only named itself such in 1991. It was called Vardar Banovina before that. Plus it doesnt border the Macedonian province in Greece.
I just pulled out my 1973 Britannica Atlas. The Yugoslav province of Macedonia is clearly marked as Macedonia (well actually they have it as Makedonija). The kingdom of Phillip (Alexander's father) included much of modern Macedonia as well as other areas such as Greek Macedonia and Thrace.
As for Razor217's arguments, well, saying the US would do, something it hasn't done, or that Belgium hasn't done while being in the exact same situation isn't an argument.
I remain with the Macedonians on this. The Greeks are petty and small, and getting pettier and smaller. They own it and should come up and collect their prize.
I just pulled out my 1973 Britannica Atlas. The Yugoslav province of Macedonia is clearly marked as Macedonia (well actually they have it as Makedonija). The kingdom of Phillip (Alexander's father) included much of modern Macedonia as well as other areas such as Greek Macedonia and Thrace.
As for Razor217's arguments, well, saying the US would do, something it hasn't done, or that Belgium hasn't done while being in the exact same situation isn't an argument.
I remain with the Macedonians on this. The Greeks are petty and small, and getting pettier and smaller. They own it and should come up and collect their prize.
Hang on you're with a group of people who claim northern Greece is occupied? They constantly provoke and make territorial claims on Greek land, how on earth is Greece not meant to take this seriously? Trying to thieve a history from another country is about as embarrassing it gets, ethnically these Slavs were not even in the region in Alexander the greats era. Go look at a map of Greece and pin point the city of Larissa, these so called Macedonians claim that everything down to Larissa belongs to them, it would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad. Hundreds of historians can't be wrong, the ancient writings can't be wrong, the fact the Macedonians competed in the Olympic Games which only Greeks were allowed to compete in is fact. The present day so called Macedonians did not arrive in the region until the seventh century AD, so why on earth would you want a nation to take up a stolen identity?
Greece had every right to protect its history and its Macedonian province.
Hang on you're with a group of people who claim northern Greece is occupied? They constantly provoke and make territorial claims on Greek land, how on earth is Greece not meant to take this seriously? Trying to thieve a history from another country is about as embarrassing it gets, ethnically these Slavs were not even in the region in Alexander the greats era. Go look at a map of Greece and pin point the city of Larissa, these so called Macedonians claim that everything down to Larissa belongs to them, it would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad. Hundreds of historians can't be wrong, the ancient writings can't be wrong, the fact the Macedonians competed in the Olympic Games which only Greeks were allowed to compete in is fact. The present day so called Macedonians did not arrive in the region until the seventh century AD, so why on earth would you want a nation to take up a stolen identity?
Greece had every right to protect its history and its Macedonian province.
Correct. Makedon, is an ancient Greek entity. It's two most important cities are in modern Greece and clearly have Greek alphabet inscriptions throughout the ruins. The modern FYROM state and it's people are not Macedonian.
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