Greece/Macedonia: Protests ahead of name change agreement June 17 /update 1

Event

Protesters staged demonstrations in Skopje and Athens on Thursday, June 14, and Friday, June 15, respectively, after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev agreed on June 12 to rename the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia. In Skopje, people demonstrated outside of the Macedonian parliament on Thursday, demanding that the government scrap plans to change the name of the country; police reportedly detained ten protesters.

Demonstrators also gathered outside of the Greek Parliament in Syntagma Square (Athens) on Friday, waving Greek flags and demanding a referendum on the agreement. Protesters vowed to undertake an "unending struggle" against the name change. Additional protests are possible in Skopje, Athens, and other Macedonian and Greek cities ahead of and after the planned signing of the agreement on the shore of Lake Prespa on Sunday, June 17. Heightened security measures and localized traffic disruptions are expected near protest sites.

Context

On June 13, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said that he would not sign the deal to change the name of the country, claiming that it gives too many concessions to Greece. As many as 1500 people protested in front of the Macedonian parliament in Skopje on June 13 against the agreement.

The naming dispute between the two countries has been ongoing for decades. Some Greek critics have claimed that the name "Macedonia" connotes aspirations for the territorial annexation of the eponymous northern Greek region, and appropriates the history of ancient Macedonia once ruled by the Greek Alexander the Great.

Advice

Individuals in the abovementioned areas are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all demonstrations as a precaution, and avoid discussing sensitive political topics in public.