Macedonia opposition holds anti-government protest

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Several thousand people have held an anti-government protest in Macedonia over economic policies and a deal with Greece to change the country’s name to North Macedonia.

Hristijan Mickoski, leader of the conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, told supporters at Sunday’s protest that “people are losing their country” because the left-wing government signed a “catastrophic” deal giving up Macedonia’s name, identity and language.

Participants at the event in the southern town of Strumica chanted “Traitor, traitor” whenever the name of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, a Strumica native, was mentioned. The protest was peaceful.

Macedonia and Greece signed a deal in June under which Macedonia will change its name and Athens will unblock its neighbour’s path to membership in NATO and the European Union.