People march through a street during a protest against the change of the country's constitutional name, in Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. Several thousand protestors have gathered in front of Macedonia's parliament to demand that the government call off talks with neighbor Greece on a decades-long name dispute. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
The Associated Press
SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Several thousand protesters rallied in Macedonia's capital late Tuesday for the government to call off talks with neighboring Greece aimed at settling a decades-long name dispute.
The protesters marched peacefully from the main Orthodox cathedral in Skopje past the European Union office, chanting "Macedonia! Macedonia!" and waving national flags.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's 9-month-old center-left government has opened negotiations with Greece to resolve the dispute over Macedonia's name. Greece says the country's name in its current form implies a territorial claim against its own region of Macedonia.
Zaev has said he is willing to support a modified name. But the head of the World Macedonian Congress, Todor Petrov, told the protesters that changing the country's name would be tantamount to committing treason.
"Our country has a name....To change it would mean that the Macedonian identity would be permanently lost," he said.
The rally was organized by several hard-line nationalist associations. The rally ended peacefully, but a Greek flag was burned during the march. Greeks also held a large rally in Athens earlier this month to reject a proposed compromise.
Zaev has said he could accept a "geographical qualifier" in Macedonia's name - such as "new", "upper" or "north" - to forge a compromise, but insisted the new name must "respect the dignity" of people in both countries.
Greece is also seeking changes in the Macedonian Constitution to eliminate what Athens considers tacit territorial claims. Macedonia insists constitutional amendments made in 1995 already addressed Greek concerns.
As a goodwill gesture to Greece, Macedonia this month changed the name of its main airport from Alexander the Great Airport to Skopje International Airport.
Protestors carry crosses and light torches during a protest against the change of the country's constitutional name, in front of the Parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. Several thousand protestors have gathered in front of Macedonia's parliament to demand that the government call off talks with neighbor Greece on a decades-long name dispute. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
The Associated Press
People carry banners and wave flags during a protest against the change of the country's constitutional name, in front of the Parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. Several thousand protestors have gathered in front of Macedonia's parliament to demand that the government call off talks with neighbor Greece on a decades-long name dispute. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
The Associated Press
People gather to protest against the change of the country's constitutional name, in front of the Parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. Several thousand protestors have gathered in front of Macedonia's parliament to demand that the government call off talks with neighbor Greece on a decades-long name dispute. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
The Associated Press
People march through a street during a protest against the change of the country's constitutional name, in Skopje, Macedonia, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. Several thousand protestors have gathered in front of Macedonia's parliament to demand that the government call off talks with neighbor Greece on a decades-long name dispute. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
The Associated Press