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'Macedonia' to 'FYR Macedonia'
Ireland: Dustin to change Eurovision performance lyrics
Dustin the Turkey will represent Ireland this year at the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade with the song Irelande douze pointe.
The lyrics of the song contains a list of European countries, which includes a name check for Macedonia. However the EBU has declined to confirm that the request had come from Greek broadcaster ERT, who which other websites report; have taken offence at the mentioning of Macedonia, rather than their preferred "Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia" the name under which the country joined the United Nations and which is still used by the EBU, albeit in an abriviated form on Eurovision scoreboards - "FYR Macedonia."
The EBU reference group have requested that the official name of the country "FYR Macedonia" be used rather than just "Macedonia" in the lyrics of the song Irelande douze pointe for all Eurovision Song Contest related performances.
The Irish delegation have agreed to this, however this does not involve changing the recorded version of the song.
The EBU reference group is a group representative of EBU member countries participating in the Eurovision Song contest which liaises directly with the EBU to guide and approve the major elements of the concept, development and preparation of the Eurovision Song Contest.
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Macedonia is MACEDONIA!!!
Why politics must be involved in almost everything?!
Darren Diao an Kevin Knight, thanks for your meaningful and intelligent comments, you both said it much better than I could come up with. I really don't have time and lust to quarrel with fascist, paranoid and scizophrenic neighbours. Greetings from Macedonia
I understand the Governing body's worries about the entries. But I wonder what their reaction would be if a singer were 15 years old or if a female singer were on stage wearing a burqa. Would they complain? We don't know how old the Irish lead singer is, if he is the same person who appeeared and won in the Irish final. How sure can we be that rules are respected as far as this entry is concerned?
VETO -VETO -VETO
I think Dustin willl be 2nd after Russia
tragedy..i`m a shamed cos my father is greek...pollitics and music?...pls give me a beak
Any other who wants to be on a top? 
Delphia I miss you so much 
Konstantine, you are welcome to Skopje
PLEASE , Dustin, change your lyrics, change the word Macedonia with Skopianiiiiiiiiee.... We are allready Famous and don't need further promotion Now, promote our capital city
Please next year some song about our lakes, mountines, monasterys, nature.....from any country
THANK YOU EUROPE....I'm famous, I'm famousssssss
When I d*ie, I would like on my monument, to put gold Vergina sun, not because it is mine but because I always wanted something greek in a top of me
According to the last proposal from monday, the new name who will replace FYROM in the international organisations is:
Republic of Macedonia (Skopje). This is the last proposal so, Dustin have to change its song one more time
According to the last and final proposal, no one (Greeks and FYR Macedonia) have exclusivelly of using the term "Macedonia " or "Macedonian", but both sides can do that. So, the language will continue called Macedonian Language, Macedonian Nation, etc. Greeks can also do the same, like Macedonians (greeks) or Greek Macedonian Language. Republic of macedonia agree with that, and have no problem with the proposal. Also, I made dessicion as Macedonian, to change my name. Starting from today, My name is Alexander(ESC FAN), so noone can find anything ofensive or simmilaritty with Alexander the Great.
Can you Imagine if the capital of Skopje change its name after 2 years to "Beauty" or "Prima" or "Hellena", show must go one
Republic of Macedonia (Hellena), or something like that. Please, to all of you be positive, express new proposal of the name of the capital of Republic of Macedonia starting now....something intresting, like Dustin manire
ireland 2 win!!!!!!!!!!!!
i dont know why FYR macedonia are complaining!!!
its only 3 letters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dublin2009!!!!!!!!!!!
And 1 thing more:
While discussing about the universal language, the music, please all people keep yourself away from speaking about the historical facts to attack a nation.
Nobody has been innocent at all. Do not judge something irrelevant with pointing your finger to a nation about the things happened in the past. Noone can know what the real consequences were during those times...
Humankind unfortunately had the illusion of "fighting to have a better living", instead of loving, supporting, trading, cooperating... Do not get trapped by this thought in this catastrophic century.
Let the music win.
Greetz to all from Turkey (not the bird, the country 
Me too Konstantine, I love you all. From heart. It's against the human nature to judge a human for his/her sexuality, race, ethnics, country, etc. This is against our God-given values.
Peace.
The problem is simple. Only one question: When I listened Turkey song and heared "Macedonia" I thought he is thinking of Macedonia Region in Greece. Then, Greeks need to be proud of it. I do not understand why that word sound ofensive to them, when it's about a part of their country. Does it mean that the main problem is that YOU have problem whit the name and want to destroy it, or want to keep the name as top secret? Why any of greeks here never said how nie is when turkey mention word such "Macedonia" which "belonges" to Greece, but they start thinking that when singing the word "Macedonia", the performer is thinking about "FYROM" - very interesting....that mean that name "Macedonia" is synonim for the FYR Macedonia, not for greek region of Makedonia. Thank you greeks, starting from today you make me proud of being macedonian. And one more think: According to the scientist and DNK Analusys, only 15% of Macedonians "Slavs" are from Slavic origin, the rest is mixture like a salad, but about 40% of present greek blood are in common with the Ethiopians. Is there anyone who can explain me how it comes, the Ancient Macedonians disaapeared for one day when slavs comes here on 6th cent? Or they start mixing with the slavs and greeks start calling them barbarians? Interesting....
....and for Turkey, please replace the word "Macedonia" with Thesally or Thracy, or any other greek province that fit into the song. We, Macedonians, from Republic of Macedonia are satisfied for free promotian of ourselfs here by greeks.
Thanks to all of you, esspecially for my greek friends and neighbours...
"you can make choice of everything you want in the world, but you can't choose neighbours and parrents".
@ Jim Hegarty
Flip sake man it is the Maiden City not Derry or Londonderry 
I guess Ireland has to win the bloody thing first before we can even talk of the host but I don't see why it couldn't happen.
For those who still think that this is just a name issue:
http://img234.imagev(...)e007ib5_122_251lo.jp g
HINT: That guy is the Fyromian Prime Minister
Ok, we can call the northern part of Belgium Flamish Republic too...
Re: Eurovision 2008,Belfast.it will never happen, as the BBC are the broadcaster for Northern Ireland,and RTE,would not give the beeb,the contest.i remember,back in 1980 there was talk of the 81 contest ,being staged in Derry.and it never happend.oh dear,now we will have unionist,complaing that i didn't refer to Derry,as Londonderry(lol).i think Galway,would be a great city for the contest.i really think that Dustin,is going to win.
But there was not any comfirmation that the greek television asked for the chance. It's just a supposal...
Ian Carson, i was not refering to the polilical issue,just the fact that they ask a puppet,to change,the lyric's.it's so petty. by the way,i am not anti greek,i agree with them re:Elgin marbles.so greeks,don't feel i am against you.i just think it's petty,to ask a puppet,to alter something.i hope Dustin,wins.
Ian
a national issue is never a nonsense, whatever you understand its importance or not.
Most of you live to far away to know the whole story. Ofcourse it's not just a name...
To Jim Hegary "zzzzzz......wake me up when the the Greeks,grow up".
Prepare for a long sleep, they've been at this nonsense for 15 years, meanwhile everyone else has moved on and calls the country Macedonia.
Does that mean all commentators at the contest should be banned from calling the country Macedonia (as the UK presenters always do).
What is the contest coming to - so much for FREEDOM OF SPEECH!
Oh, what an infected discussion. While I can understand the Greek wiewpoint in this, nationalistic comments like "you are barbars trying to steal our history" really bothers me. We all know Greece has a great anicent culture, it doesn't get less advanced just because the modern republic of Macedonia is called by the name its government has choosed.
Never has 3 letters of a country, provoked 250 reactions.
Officially, it's FYROM, but to 99% of the world, it's simply Macedonia.
Next year, Ireland gets offended as the words "Republic of" are not included.
Let's stop all this discussion. It's at least tiring...
The whole matter is solved. Apparently there was not any intention by the irish.
The problem of the name will have a solution in the United Nations, all the rests has no real sense now imo...
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