LOI in Europe 2022

**paul_oshea** · 04/08/2022, 5:54 PM

Greece. Macedonia is in Greece and starts there. It actually covers a few countries. There was a dispute so they agreed to change the name.

**Big Ears** · 04/08/2022, 5:58 PM

As the above states, and if they want to join the EU they can't have Greece objecting.
So coming to an agreement on the accepted name of their country (that the Greek's were okay with) was a must.

**pineapple stu** · 04/08/2022, 6:00 PM

I think North Macedonia is also in what was historically Greek territory (hence the new name) but the Ottoman Empire messed a lot of that region up. There was some forced repatriation after it ended (around 1916 I think) but Yugoslavia got what's now North Macedonia as it was populated by Slavs rather than Greeks. It's not a historic race in the way Croats/Greeks/Turks and so on are - I think they're most closely connected to the Bulgarians, though their language is really just a dialect (if not even an accent) of Serbo-Croat.

The Albanians in North Macedonia (Mother Teresa the most famous example) are different again of course, and there's been tensions between the groups. Also, gun ownership is quite high...

**pineapple stu** · 04/08/2022, 6:02 PM

Originally Posted by Big Ears

As the above states, and if they want to join the EU they can't have Greece objecting.
So coming to an agreement on the accepted name of their country (that the Greek's were okay with) was a must.

Strangely, Bulgaria is now their biggest obstacle to the EU. I think Bulgaria makes a bit of cash on the side selling dodgy passports to North Macedonians (given their relatively close links). Negations with Bulgaria on that started last week.

Anyway, that's your half time entertainment. Back to the game

**paul_oshea** · 04/08/2022, 6:04 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I think North Macedonia is also in what was historically Greek territory (hence the new name) but the Ottoman Empire messed a lot of that region up. There was some forced repatriation after it ended (around 1916 I think) but Yugoslavia got what's now North Macedonia as it was populated by Slavs rather than Greeks. It's not a historic race in the way Croats/Greeks/Turks and so on are - I think they're most closely connected to the Bulgarians, though their language is really just a dialect (if not even an accent) of Serbo-Croat.

The Albanians in North Macedonia (Mother Teresa the most famous example) are different again of course, and there's been tensions between the groups. Also, gun ownership is quite high...

Mostly correct and unlike Croatia they use Cyrillic alphabet. There are ethnic Albanians and Turks in North Macedonia.

**ontheotherhand** · 04/08/2022, 6:06 PM

"You know we were talking earlier about Dostoevsky?"

**pineapple stu** · 04/08/2022, 6:07 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Mostly correct and unlike Croatia they use Cyrillic alphabet. There are ethnic Albanians and Turks in North Macedonia.

Well true - though don't forget Serbian is really just Croatian in the Cyrillic alphabet, and Bulgaria uses it too (both with slight modifications), so not unusual that NM uses it. In fact, they claim to have invented it. They claim lots of things!

**joey B** · 04/08/2022, 6:08 PM

Cotter booked there for absolutely nothing…

**paul_oshea** · 04/08/2022, 6:10 PM

There's a serious lack of pace in the final third for pats

**paul_oshea** · 04/08/2022, 6:11 PM

Why was Forrester trying to control a cross it would have brought him way to close to the endline anyway. Naive.

**pineapple stu** · 04/08/2022, 6:14 PM

A third for Viking.

Guess you can hope for a result at home when Viking are relaxing

**joey B** · 04/08/2022, 6:18 PM

This ref is officially on one now,firing out the cards!

**pineapple stu** · 04/08/2022, 6:21 PM

Doyle thanking God he was offside there!

4-0 in Norway now

**joey B** · 04/08/2022, 6:28 PM

Pats tiring now,needs a freshen up…

**Philosophizer** · 04/08/2022, 6:28 PM

Ah come on Sligo it's getting embarrassing now.
No other match in europe tonight has more than a 2-goal difference.

**CorribsideSteve** · 04/08/2022, 6:29 PM

It was always a lot to ask of Sligo to repeat their Motherwell heroics, and this was bonus territory tonight. Still, nobody likes getting stuffed 4 nil with 25+ minutes still to play. Just tuning in to the Pats game now. Seem to have been holding their own so far?