The dispute began after the small Balkan country, for decades a part of the former Yugoslavia, gained independence in 1991 and wanted to call itself Macedonia. However, Greece has objected to use of the name, arguing it could imply territorial claims over the northern Greece region of the same name, something Macedonia denies.
Macedonians argue they are living in part of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia and have cultural ties to it.
Because of Greece’s objections, Macedonia joined the United Nations in 1993 as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM. Greece, a member of both NATO and the European Union, has also repeatedly blocked any NATO or EU ambition for its neighbor, both significant goals for consecutive Skopje governments.
