What's in a Name?

Well a lot, if you're Macedonian.

Macedonia aspires to join NATO and the EU.

At least that's my takeaway from keeping abreast of wider Western Balkans developments.

The internationally recognised name at the moment is, the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" or FYROM for short. Still a bit of a mouthful which ever way you look at it.

But.

Greece objects, and has done for some considerable time, about the name "Macedonia".

The Greeks use the same name for the northern area of their country.

Greece says the name "Macedonia" belongs to them. Greece uses her veto at the moment to stop any NATO/EU integration that FYROM has.

The Greeks also lay claim to Aleksandar the Great.

It's very messy down here.

The government of FYROM seem to be bending over backwards to accommodate Greece, even to the point of a name change for their country.

Some people in Macedonia (FYROM) however, aren't happy to accept a name change, which was apparent today, when I had to leave the car I was traveling in, to walk back to my hotel.

Demonstrators blocked the roads in the city centre.

Today's image is of that demonstration.

Peaceful but noisy. Very noisy!