Due to the 14-year old dispute over the states official name, the Greek government plans to veto FYROM's entry into the EU.
The Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has said that Greece will veto the entry into the European Union of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
According to Karamanlis, the FYROM government has not shown willingness to co-operate to end the dispute over the state's official name and has not responded positively to the United Nation's proposal (April 2005) for a new name for the FYROM.
Greece is blocking, since 1991, the international recognition of FYROM under the name of Macedonia, which, it says, implies claims on a Greek province of the same name.
The Commission will give its opinion on the opening of negotiations with Macedonia in November 2005. Unanimity of the EU 25 is required for entry into the Union of new countries.
By: N. Peter Kramer
