VOA慢速英语--马其顿人决定是否改变他们国家的名字

Macedonians to Decide Whether to Change Their Country’s Name

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov is urging Macedonians to boycott¹ a popular vote on whether the country should change its name.

He called changing the country’s name from the Republic of Macedonia to North Macedonia “historical suicide.”

Ivanov spoke² at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

He said, “It is a censorship of the world and an auto-censorship of the collective conscience of Macedonian people.”

Ivanov has refused to support a deal reached between Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Under the deal, the people of Macedonia will vote on whether to change the country’s name or not.

The Associated Press reports that it is unclear if 50 percent of voters will take part in the referendum, which is required for the vote to be official.

If voters do support the change, parliament will have to change Macedonia’s constitution.

Ivanov has called the deal a clear “violation of sovereignty.”

He criticized the vote saying: “This referendum could lead us to become a subordinate state, dependent on another country.” He added, “We will become a state in name only, not in substance.”

Greece has said that the name Macedonia belongs only to its northern province of Macedonia. It says by using the name, the country of Macedonia can make a claim to the Greek province.

Since Macedonia became independent in 1991, Greece has put pressure on it to change its name. Because of the Objections of Greece, Macedonia is known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the United Nations. Greece also has blocked Macedonia from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO.

Supporters of the name change say it will lead to NATO membership and permit the country to join the European Union after a set time period.

Opponents consider the change a national humiliation³.

On Sunday, September 30, the people of Macedonia will vote on whether to change their name to North Macedonia.

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

censorship –n. the act of examining books, movies, letters, and other materials in order to remove things that are considered offensive, immoral⁴, or harmful to society

referendum –n. a vote in which the people of a country or state make a decision about a law that deals with a specific issue

sovereignty –n. a country’s independent authority and the right to govern itself

humiliation –n. to make someone feel ashamed or foolish

1 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

4 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。