Greece slams FYR Macedonia over lawsuit

Greece has claimed a lawsuit brought in the International Court of Justice is proof that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia does not want to resolve the long-running dispute between the two countries by dialogue.

Macedonia has brought the case in the Hague, accusing Athens of violating the law by blocking its bid to join NATO.

Skopje had hoped to join last April during the course of the NATO summit in Bucharest, but Athens vetoed the move, because of a dispute over Macedonia’s name. Athens says it implies a territorial claim on its northern-most province.

Both countries have been negotiating over the issue for 17 years under the auspices of the UN. Skopje says a 1995 agreement for it to call itself the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in return for unfettered access to the EU and NATO has been violated.

Athens says it will defend the case in the International Court of Justice.

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