Slavce Tanevski, the automobile designer from Macedonia who works for Mercedes, asked the Macedonian Government to remove all mention of him and his successes and do not relate them in any way with the “Republic of North Macedonia”. This is his protest against the name which is being imposed on the country.

I ask all government institutions which use the word “North” in their name, (and are not related to North Ireland or North Korea), to stop using my name or my work for any of their purposes. You do not exist for me and I don’t exist for you. So long and farewell. Macedonians, I hope you will follow my example, Tanevski wrote on his Facebook account.

He tagged the Diaspora Agency, which often promotes activities by notable Macedonians living abroad, asking that “I don’t want to have my name tied in any way with the term NORTH Macedonia”.