madam president i wish i could be given the time to explain to the members of this parliament the reasons why the greek people are so sensitive about the issue concerning the name of the former yugoslav republic of macedonia
unfortunately it needs more than a minute
this story going back to the late nineteen fourties is a sad story which ended in creating a false idea about them
i can assure you that greeks are neither nationalists nor expansionists
all they do is resist the use of a name which is part of their own ancient historical and archaeological tradition
i understand that the former yugoslav republic of macedonia as a new independent state is undergoing a retarded ethnogenic phase
serious academics in skopje do not support the nationalistic trends of their prime minister
they prefer to remain silent rather than expose themselves against the trendy phrase which the thaler report rightly remarks is liable to increase tensions
i would like this parliament and the new commission to try and contribute with a solution to the name issue not by stimulating the nationalistic tendencies of the fyrom government but by supporting the greek view which fights for a gentle compromise that would finally seem to satisfy the people of fyrom more than the people of greece
