FYROM parades under official name in Beijing

The Olympic delegation of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) yesterday paraded in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympiad under a banner with the initials of its official name FYROM, used by the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This followed Greek representations to the IOC and the organizers to stop the neighboring country from using its constitutional name of “Republic of Macedonia.” The Hellenic Olympic Committee also complained regarding a reference to FYROM athletes on the official Games website as “Macedonians.” Separately, FYROM Premier Nikola Gruevski snubbed a suggestion that UN mediator Matthew Nimetz might propose “New Democratic State of Macedonia” to resolve the name dispute with Greece. “It will have the same fate as his last proposal,” he said.