At a time when a compromise between Macedonia and Greece over Macedonia’s disputed name seems closer than ever, some of the loudest voices against a deal are coming from members of both countries’ big diasporas.
Over the past two months, as UN-sponsored talks between the two countries have intensified, Macedonians émigrés in Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Sweden, Malta, The Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland and elsewhere have taken to the streets to denounce a possible change to Macedonia’s name, which they see as a betrayal.
While the grassroots protests have revealed the potential for unity among usually disjointed Macedonian communities abroad, they have also rekindled old nationalistic grievances with Greece.
