At a session of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, has warned against a racist tone particularly prevelent in the popular press of FYROM (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

"We are worried by the continuing use of hate language in certain Macedonian [sic] media directed not only against Greece but against Bulgaria as well", said Rehn.

The statements come in the wake of FYROM's failed attempt at securing NATO accession at the Bucharest Summit in April. Greece effectively blocked its accession citing FYROM's unwillingness to compromise on the naming dispute.

 Bulgaria has voiced its displeasure at what it sees as a wave of 'racist and hateful' against Bulgarians in articles from the major newspapers of FYROM. Concern has also been raised as a number of billboards featuring a defaced Greek flag where the cross has been replaced by a swastika. Representatives of the Albanian minority of FYROM have also claimed there has been a rise of anti-Albanian sentiments in the country and that the committments given by the 2001 Ohrid Agreement ensuring the rights of the Albanian minority are not being respected.

Greece has also said that it would block any bid by the Former Yugoslav Republic to join the EU unless an agreement is reached on the name issue. Olli Rehn and the EU leadership is seen to back Greece's stance. When asked how FYROM's failure to meet NATO's criteria for accession affected any prospective bid to join the EU, Rehn answered that, "There is no formal link between EU and NATO as regards membership but of course many of the criteria of NATO membership overlap with EU membership,".

(SOURCES: EURACTIV, NOVINITE)

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