the greek government recognizes only the muslim minority in the country, the turkish one in the region of western-thrace. they include pomak and xoraxane roma. the majority of them live in cities like xanthi and komotini. the dispute between greece and the republic of north macedonia has resulted in the refusal of greece to acknowledge the existence of a macedonian minority. the 2001 population census showed only 747 citizens of the republic of north macedonia in greece. the republic of north macedonia says that there are a maximum of 300,000 ethnic macedonians in greece, but greece says that if there is a minority in the country, it would not be more than 30,000 people, in the northern part of the country, near the border with the republic of north macedonia. this is also supported by international organizations.