Macedonia warns Serbia to keep out of the name game

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Macedonia’s name, a source of friction with neighbouring Greece, is now souring relations with Serbia.

Macedonia’s foreign ministry says Serbia should avoid calling it by the “offensive” name of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM, which Greece favours.

A ministry statement Friday said it would be “inappropriate and disrespectful” for Serbia to call its small neighbour anything but Macedonia.

While Serbia still formally calls the country Macedonia, its foreign minister has suggested a change to FYROM, and Serbian highway toll receipts now use that name.

Greece argues that the name Macedonia implies designs on a Greek province also called Macedonia.

The U.S., Russia, China, and most other countries use the term Macedonia, although the United Nations goes for FYROM. Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.