Tens of thousands of Greeks have staged a mass rally in Athens, urging the government not to compromise in the country's long-running name dispute with neighboring Macedonia. Many Greeks object to the country of the same name calling itself Macedonia, saying it implies a territorial claim on Greece's northern Macedonia region. CGTN's Filio Kontrafouri has more.

FILIO KONTRAFOURI ATHENS "Since early morning, thousands of Greeks have been coming here, in the heart of Athens with buses and ferries from all across Greece and even from as far as the island of Crete and from northern Greece, where the region of Macedonia is located. They have been chanting slogans for Macedonia, with the main slogan being "Macedonia means Greece." While Greeks have not participated in large-scale protests since the austerity referendum almost three years ago, the issue of Macedonia remains too sensitive for millions of Greeks. Since the name negotiations began a few weeks ago, this is the second time Greeks are coming out in full force to oppose Greece's northern neighbor from using the term Macedonia in its name."

CHRISTOS KYRIAKIDES "Macedonia is one. Is one and only Greek. And we don't let any politician to give our name to other country."

ELENI KONSTANTINIDOU "We will win. I believe the name Macedonia will not be used, not in a compound name. We don't accept this."

KATERINA GOUDRA "Right now we are helping the government, they must use this message as a negotiating card so that they won't bend us as Greeks, they won't step on us."

FILIO KONTRAFOURI ATHENS "Greeks have been particularly angry with their northern neighbor for, as they say, stealing their identity and historical symbols like this one: this is the Vergina Sun, the royal symbol of the ancient Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great and his father in northern Greece. This is by far the biggest rally in Athens in recent years and many analysts here say it has also turned in to an anti-government protest by a public fed up by almost a decade of an economic crisis and that this rally could become a catalyst for broader developments in Greece. Filio Kontrafouri, CGTN, Athens"