US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday that there is "no doubt" that Moscow is funding pro-Russian groups to influence a referendum on changing the country's name later this month, which could lead to NATO and EU membership.

"They have transferred money and they're also conducting broader influence campaigns," Mattis said to reporters traveling with him to the Macedonian capital Skopje.

Macedonians are voting on September 30 on whether to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia. The referendum follows aJune deal with neighboring Greece, which has long called for the name change, as Macedonia is also the name of a Greek region.

"We do not want to see Russia doing there what they have tried to do in so many other countries," Mattis said, adding that he was not sure how effective Russia's "meddling" has been.

It is not the first time Russia has been accused of meddling. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats and barred two other people from entering the country for allegedly trying to bribe officials and incite protests against the deal.

Merkel favors name change

Mattis is the latest high-profile Western politician to visit Skopje. On September 8, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she hoped Macedonians would vote for the name change and start accession talks with NATO and the EU, as Germany had "a strong interest in a stable region" and that the "western Balkans are essential to the stability of the [European] Union."

Both NATO and the EU have said Macedonia could begin accession talks if the deal with Greece was implemented.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is in favor of the name change, while the nationalists and President Gjorge Ivanov oppose it. Moscow rejects the deal as it would diminish Russian influence in the former Eastern bloc.

ng/rg (Reuters, AP)

Macedonia: What's in a name? The Republic of Northern Macedonia For decades Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) had a contentious relationship over the name. When Yugoslavia broke up Macedonia declared its independence and took the name Republic of Macedonia, Greece objected as its northern region is also called Macedonia. In 2018, the two countries settled the dispute and Macedonia is now known as The Republic of Nothern Macedonia.

Macedonia: What's in a name? The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland The Irish have long had a contentious relationship with the United Kingdom. While Ireland was for centuries part of the UK, the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 gave Ireland complete independence in its home affairs but an opt-out clause allowed Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom.

Macedonia: What's in a name? Islands worth going to war over The islands in the southern Atlantic have had French, British, Spanish and Argentinian settlements. The British refer to the archipelago as the Falkland Islands and reasserted its rule over them in 1833. Argentina maintains that the islands are called the Islas Malvinas and are a part of its territory. In 1982, Argentina invaded the islands until a British force retook the territories.

Macedonia: What's in a name? Senkau or Diaoyu? The small group of islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea has long been a sore point between Japan and China. China claims it discovered what it calls the Diaoyu islands in the 14th century. After World War II, the US administered the island but returned control to Japan in 1972. With the discovery of oil reserves in 1968, ownership is now once again an issue. Author: Andy Valvur



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