Macedonia hopes closing border to migrants will assist Nato bid

Macedonia hopes stopping migrants at its border with Greece, which has effectively closed the Balkan route into northern Europe, will help the country join Nato, defence minister Zoran Jolevski said.

Macedonia’s bid to join the defence bloc has been blocked because Athens has disputed the country’s name since Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, saying it implies territorial claims to a Greek province of the same name.

“I hope Macedonia will get its ... place at a Nato table. We have shown that we are a responsible member of the international community,” Jolevski said when asked whether Macedonia’s conduct in the crisis could enhance its Nato bid.