Protesters in Macedonia decry proposed name compromise

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Several thousand protesters have gathered in front of Macedonia’s parliament in the capital of Skopje to demand the government call off talks with neighbouring Greece on a decades-long name dispute.

The protesters marched peacefully from the main Orthodox cathedral past the European Union office, chanting “Macedonia! Macedonia!” and waving national flags.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev’s nine-month-old centre-left government has started talks with Greece and says he could back a proposal to modify the country’s name. Greece says it implies a territorial claim against its own region of Macedonia.

Greeks held a large rally in Athens earlier this month to also reject a proposed compromise.