Macedonia naming dispute Facts for Kids

Geography of Macedonia

The Macedonia naming dispute was a big disagreement between two countries: Greece and North Macedonia. The problem was all about the name "Macedonia." Greece believed that the name "Macedonia" should only refer to its own northern region and ancient history. However, the country that is now North Macedonia also used the name "Macedonia" when it became independent. This disagreement lasted for many years. It was finally settled in 2019 with an important agreement called the Prespa Agreement. The leaders who signed this agreement were the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. They signed it near Lake Prespa, which is on their shared border.

Why the Name Was a Problem
- Ancient History and Identity
- New Country's Independence
Finding a Solution
- International Efforts
- The Prespa Agreement
  - What the Agreement Meant
After the Agreement
Images for kids
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Why the Name Was a Problem

This dispute was complicated because both countries felt a strong connection to the name "Macedonia."

Ancient History and Identity

For Greece, the name "Macedonia" is deeply linked to its ancient history. This includes the powerful ancient kingdom of Macedonia and its famous king, Alexander the Great. A large northern region of modern Greece is also called Macedonia. Greeks felt that using the name "Macedonia" for the new country suggested it had a claim to Greek history or territory.

New Country's Independence

The country now known as North Macedonia used to be part of Yugoslavia. When Yugoslavia broke apart in the early 1990s, this country became independent. It chose the name "Republic of Macedonia." This choice caused problems with Greece right away. Greece worried that the name implied claims on its own region of Macedonia.

Finding a Solution

For nearly 30 years, leaders from both countries tried to find a way to solve this naming problem.

International Efforts

Many international groups, like the United Nations, tried to help Greece and North Macedonia agree on a name. A special mediator from the UN, Matthew Nimetz, worked for years to bring the two sides together. They discussed many different names, but it was hard to find one that both countries would accept.

The Prespa Agreement

After many years of talks, a breakthrough happened in 2018. The prime ministers of both countries, Alexis Tsipras of Greece and Zoran Zaev of North Macedonia, worked hard to reach a deal. They signed the Prespa Agreement in June 2018. This agreement officially changed the name of the country to "Republic of North Macedonia."

What the Agreement Meant

The Prespa Agreement was a big step. It meant that:

The country's official name became "Republic of North Macedonia."
Its citizens are called "Macedonian/citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia."
Its language is called "Macedonian language."
The agreement made it clear that the language and identity of North Macedonia are different from the ancient Greek Macedonian heritage.
Greece agreed to stop blocking North Macedonia from joining international groups like NATO and the European Union.

After the Agreement

The Prespa Agreement was a historic moment. It ended a long-standing dispute and opened the door for North Macedonia to have better relationships with its neighbors and the rest of the world. Both countries now look forward to a future of cooperation.

Images for kids

Ancient kingdom of Macedonia c. 200 BC
The 2008 Bucharest summit of NATO
Map of the Roman Province of Macedonia showing its division into 'Macedonia Prima' and 'Macedonia Secundus' or 'Salutaris'
International Court of Justice hearing in the case of "Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece)"
UN Mediator Matthew Nimetz with negotiators Zoran Jolevski and Adamantios Vassilakis at a press conference after the round of negotiations in November 2012
Macedonian Greeks protest in a rally in Melbourne in April 2007, holding signs descriptive of the historical concerns around the naming dispute and others with the Vergina sun.
Postcard issued during the 1920s by the Ilinden organization in Sofia, presenting an imagined United Macedonia
Apogevmatini headline quoting former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis: "I am a Macedonian, just like two and a half million Greeks."
Refugee children fleeing across the Greek Macedonian border in 1948
Greek ethnographic map of south-eastern Balkans, showing the Macedonian Slavs as a separate people, by Professor George Soteriadis, Edward Stanford, London, 1918
The ancient kingdom of Macedonia before Philip II (431 BC)
Ancient Macedonia under Philip V (200 BC)
Modern region of Greek Macedonia