Why does Greece have bad relations with all their surrounding countries: Turkey, Albania, Macedonia, Italy?

Question

I heard that Greece doesnt like Turkey because of the Cyprus issue and other issues, Greece doesnt like Albania because Albanians are Muslims, Greece doesnt like Macedonia because Macedonia is using the name of a section of Greece as the name of their country and Greece has always been jealous of Italy. Why cant Greece get along with everyone?

Answer 1

The only two countries Greece really has a bad relationship with are Turkey and Fyrom. Fyrom because of the misunderstanding they have about the name* and Turkey because of that fact that Turkey (As Ottoman Turkey, separating it from other turkish states) invaded and took over Greece, oppressed the population, and committed near-genocide on multiple occasions. There's also the fact that there are many culture clashes between Turkey and Greece. (IE the Swatika is a reminder of the n**i Holocaust for greeks, but a good-luck symbol for turks)

Greece has very good relations with most of the other countries around it - it has excellent relations with italy largely due to trade, shared history, and a similar culture. Surprisingly good relations with Albania considering their poor start at the start of the century, thanks mostly to shared suffering during world war 2 and for the sake of mutual benefit.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where you got the idea that Greece and Italy have bad relations - they only time they've ever really fought was during the second world war (which was really just circumstantial) and when Rome took over Greece - which really just helped preserve Greek Culture and turned the last leg of the Roman Empire - the Byzantine Empire - into a more Greek empire than Byzantine.

* Fyrom was originally called Vardaska and was renamed under yugoslavian rule to Macedonia, but not a lot of Fyromians realise this and the government and education system does try to hint that they're actually descended from the original Macedonians. However, from first-hand experience, I find that most Greeks aren't as hostile towards the Fyromians as the Fyromians are towards Greeks. Except the actual Macedonians from Greece who are slightly more annoyed at Fyrom :)