Protesters, some wearing traditional army suits, chanted slogans like “Macedonia is Greek,” and asking the government to hold a referendum for the issue, while police used tear gas to keep demonstrators away from parliament. Under the so-called Prespes agreement, Greece’s neighbor will change its name to Republic of North Macedonia in exchange for the Greeks ending opposition to its bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union. Many Greeks say Macedonia should only be used to refer to their country’s northern region of that name — the birthplace of Alexander — and see any use as an attempt to steal their cultural heritage.
