While I can understand how the name issue could be seen as petty (after all, nations can call themselves what they want), I can also understand where the Greeks are coming from. The Greeks are quite proud of their ancient Macedonian heroes, Philip and his son Alexander (the Great). Ethnically, there is a link (however tenuous) between the present-day Greeks and these ancient figures; the Slavic Macedonians can't say the same. Furthermore, that ethnic link is a sort of in-between stage - if they cannot lay claim to the glories of Macedonian civilisation, what claim can they make on Aristotle, Plato et al? The flag issue was similar - the old Macedonian flag used an ancient Greek symbol. In essence, the Greeks object to the appropriation of their history by people they see as having no right to claim it.

This was explained to me by a Greek lady a fair few years ago, and may (or may not) represent popular opinion in Greece rather than any official stance. The frosty reception afforded to the Macedonians by the crowd at the Athens Olympics suggests that it is indeed popular opinion.

On the other hand, the area currently occupied by the F.Y.R.O. Macedonia was, in the main, a part of ancient Macedonia - a name given to the area by the Greeks. Does the name belong to the people or to the place? It seems a bit rich that the Greeks would name a place, then retract naming rights when they no longer live there. Why aren't they pressuring the Egyptians to rename Alexandria?

The ancients Greeks didn't regard the Macedonians as Greeks,rather as semi-barbarians with a veneer of Hellenic culture.That is,until Alexander's conquests--everbody loves a winner.

if the EU allows Macedonia in, why not Moldova, Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Abkhazia as well?

There are certain conditions that have to be met first, like inflation brought under control and some semblance of economic advancement, but if
the prospective new candidate is not as yet ready, then why rush membership?

If Turkey can be put on hold, the same ought to apply to other countries who are still not quite ready as yet.