Northern Greek school students protest deal with FYROM

Led by a horseman draped in a Greek flag, about 1,000 high school students are marching through the northern city of Thessaloniki to protest government efforts to end a three-decade-old dispute with the neighbouring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Protesters waved Greek flags and shouted nationalist slogans against FYROM – and against Albania, another neighbor.

Thursday’s protest was organized by northern Greek teenagers, who have kept dozens of high schools in Thessaloniki and neighboring areas closed for days in protest at a proposed deal to normalize relations with FYROM.

The agreement would see FYROM rename itself “North Macedonia” and Greece stop blocking its bids to join NATO and the European Union.

Athens says the current name implies claims on Greek territory and heritage.

Greece’s government accuses the Nazi-inspired Golden Dawn party of inciting the protests. [AP]