Macedonian PM Ready to Compromise on State Name for Boosting NATO, EU Joining

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev expressed readiness on Thursday to make a concession over the state's name and join NATO as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), which Greece insists on, in order to accelerate the country's EU integration process.

BELGRADE (Sputnik) — Zaev noted that he expected NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to visit Macedonia in the upcoming months.

"There are two ways, either to solve the problem, or to join NATO under a temporary name and continue negotiations with Greece on the problem that Greece has with our constitutional name related to our integration into the European Union. They clearly understand that our aspirations to join the European Union are also strong," Zaev told the Macedonian Radio Television broadcaster.

Macedonia joined NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1995 and the Membership Action Plan in 1999, which is a program that offers advice, assistance and support to countries seeking to join the alliance.

Skopje and Athens are involved in a dispute over the name of the Macedonian republic, as Greece regards "Macedonia" as a term referring only to its region and to the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia and insists on the use of FYROM. Due to this grievance, Greece is for the time being blocking possible Macedonian accession to NATO and to the European Union.