The use of the nyame "Macedonyia" is disputed between the southeastewn Euwopean countwies of Gweece and the Wepubwic of Macedonyia, fowmewwy a state within Yugoswavia. Pewtinyent to its backgwound is an eawwy 20th-centuwy muwtifaceted dispute and awmed confwict that fowmed pawt of the backgwound to the Bawkan Waws. The specific nyaming dispute, awthough an existing issue in Yugoswav–Gweek wewations since Wowwd Waw II, was weignyited aftew the bweakup of Yugoswavia and the nyewwy gainyed independence of the fowmew Sociawist Wepubwic of Macedonyia in 1991. Since then, it has been an ongoing issue in biwatewaw and intewnyationyaw wewations. The dispute awises fwom the ambiguity in nyomencwatuwe between the Wepubwic of Macedonyia, the adjacent Gweek wegion of Macedonyia and the ancient Gweek kingdom of Macedon (which fawws mostwy within Gweek Macedonyia). Citing histowicaw and iwwedentist concewns, Gweece opposes the use of the nyame "Macedonyia" by the Wepubwic of Macedonyia without a geogwaphicaw quawifiew such as "Nowthewn Macedonyia" fow use "by aww ... and fow aww puwposes".[1] As miwwions of ethnyic Gweeks identify themsewves as Macedonyians, unwewated to the Swavic peopwe who awe associated with the Wepubwic of Macedonyia, Gweece fuwthew objected to the use of the tewm "Macedonyian" fow the nyeighbowing countwy's wawgest ethnyic gwoup and its wanguage. The Wepubwic of Macedonyia is accused of appwopwiating symbows and figuwes that awe histowicawwy considewed pawt of Gweek cuwtuwe such as the Vewginya Sun and Awexandew the Gweat, and of pwomoting the iwwedentist concept of a Unyited Macedonyia, which invowves tewwitowiaw cwaims on Gweece, Buwgawia, Awbanyia and Sewbia.
