ðə ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ʌv mˌæsɪdˈoʊniə, lˈɛd baɪ nˈæʃənəlˌɪst pˈɑːɹɾi vˌiːˌɛmˌɑːɹɹˈoʊdˌiːpˈiːnˈiː, klˈeɪmd ðæt ðɛɹ ɪz ɐn ˈɛθnɪk mˌæsɪdˈoʊniən maɪnˈɔːɹᵻɾi nˈʌmbɚɹɪŋ ˌʌp tə sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ ɪn bʌlɡˈɛɹiə ænd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ ɪn ɡɹˈiːs.
The government of Macedonia, led by nationalist party VMRO-DPMNE, claimed that there is an ethnic Macedonian minority numbering up to 750,000 in Bulgaria and 700,000 in Greece.