After two days of heated debate, Greece’s Parliament voted by a slim margin on the evening of February 8 to approve the Nato accession protocol of the former Yugoslav republic to be known as the “Republic of North Macedonia”.

Greece’s legislature, which has 300 members, saw the vote end with 153 in favour and 140 against. The vote was carried with the support of 145 votes from Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s Syriza party and six independent MPs.

Opposition to approval came from Tsipras’s estranged former coalition partner, the Independent Greeks (ANEL), with Panos Kammenos lashing out at the Prime Minister as a “cold assassin”, and from opposition New Democracy, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis saying that he reserved the right – should his party be in government – to block the former Yugoslav republic’s accession to the European Union.

The February 8 vote in the legislature in Athens was a major step in the dramatic developments between Athens and Skopje in the past two years.

Tsipras and his counterpart from Skopje, Zoran Zaev, achieved the Prespa Agreement, intended to bring to an end the decades-long dispute over the use of the name “Republic of Macedonia” by the former Yugoslav republic. This name dispute previously had led to Greece – objecting to what it saw as potential territorial claims by Skopje, amid an emotional bilateral political contretemps – blocking its neighbour’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

The vote in Athens came two days after, at a ceremony in Brussels, current Nato member states’ ambassadors signed the accession protocol of the country that when the Prespa Agreement comes into full effect will be known as the Republic of North Macedonia.

Once all Nato member states have ratified the accession protocol, the Republic of North Macedonia will be a member of the Alliance. </s> Greece’s Parliament voted by 153 to 146 on January 25 to approve the Prespa Agreement with the government in Skopje that envisages changing the name of the neighbouring former Yugoslav republic to “Republic of North Macedonia”.

The vote was postponed from the night before, and again in the course of the day on Friday, because of the large number of Greek MPs who wanted to speak in the debate, which was frequently a heated one.

Thousands of Greek citizens have been protesting in the months since the June 2018 agreement between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his counterpart from Skopje, Zoran Zaev, to end the decades-long dispute over the former Yugoslav republic’s use of the name “Republic of Macedonia”.

The Greeks opposing the Prespa Agreement see it as allowing those in the neighbouring country to appropriate Greek history and culture and to use it in support of claims on Greek territory. Northern Greece has a province named Macedonia.

In the course of the political controversy in Greece about the Prespa Agreement, Tsipras’s government has survived two votes of no confidence.

The Prespa Agreement also has been controversial in the Republic of Macedonia, which also saw protests against it.

On January 11, the Parliament in Skopje voted approval of the constitutional amendments stemming from the Prespa Agreement that would change the country’s name to “Republic of North Macedonia”. The vote was 81 in favour, with no votes opposed recorded. </s> Greek MPs have voted narrowly to back a historic agreement with Macedonia, bringing to an end a 27-year dispute over its northern neighbour's name.

The parliament in Athens agreed by 153 votes to 146 to approve the name Republic of North Macedonia, despite widespread opposition from the public.

Greeks have rejected Macedonia's name since its independence in 1991, as they have a region of the same name.

Opposition to the deal is strongest in the northern Greek region of Macedonia, but polls suggest more than 60% of Greeks dislike it.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who brokered the deal, told MPs before the vote that it would be a "historic step" which would end "30 years of hypocrisy".

He said his country's neighbours would become a friend and ally with the agreement.

A small group of protesters demonstrated outside as the vote took place.

The debate in the chamber lasted more than 38 hours, and more than 200 MPs spoke during it.

Members of the far-right Golden Dawn party shouted "Traitors!" at points during the vote.

What is the name change?

The Prespa agreement to resolve the long-running dispute was signed by the two countries' prime ministers last June.

The agreement means that Macedonia, which is formally called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (or Fyrom) at the United Nations, will now become the Republic of North Macedonia, or North Macedonia in short.

Macedonia has already ratified the agreement.

The next step will be for Greece to inform its neighbour and then for Macedonia to tell the United Nations.

Friday's vote clears the way for the former Yugoslav republic's accession to Nato, and Nato ambassadors will convene in the coming days to sign the a protocol.

The deal only becomes final once the Nato accession protocol is ratified in Athens.

During Friday's debate, one MP from the ruling left-wing Syriza party, Eleni Stamatakis, said it was a "historic day for our country, but also the Balkans". </s> Macedonia's parliament has set September 30 as the date for a referendum on changing the country's name to North Macedonia.

 

 Macedonian lawmakers approved the measure with 68 votes in the 120-seat parliament. Opposition members boycotted the vote by leaving the room.

 

 Greece has objected to its neighbor being called Macedonia, saying it implies territorial claims over its own province of the same name. It has blocked the former Yugoslav republic's bid to join the European Union and NATO because of the naming disagreement.

 

 Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who was elected in 2017, has pushed for an agreement with Greece to solve the dispute. In June, the two sides agreed on the name North Macedonia.

 

 The referendum question that parliament approved Monday does not explicitly mention changing the country's name. It says only: "Are you for EU and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?"

 

 Macedonia's nationalist opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, criticized the wording of the referendum question. "It is manipulative," said Igor Janusev, VMRO-DPMNE secretary general. </s> Macedonia's parliament on Monday approved plans to hold a referendum on changing the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia.

In a vote that was boycotted by Conservative opponents, 68 lawmakers in the 120-seat assembly backed the proposal by Social Democrat Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. The vote is to take place on September 30.

The name change would allow the former Yugoslav republic to resolve its long-running dispute with neighboring Greece and join NATO and the European Union.

The parliamentary approval follows a landmark agreement between Skopje and Athens in June, when the two countries agreed to rename the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in an effort to break the stalemate that has afflicted their relations since 1991.

Athens has objected to its neighbor being called Macedonia because it has a northern province by the same name, and is concerned it may imply territorial ambitions.

The dispute has so far stymied Macedonia's efforts to join the NATO and the EU, where Greece enjoys a veto power.

Read more: Macedonia: What's in a name?

The proposed name change has triggered protests in both countries, with Macedonian nationalists calling it an assault on the country's identity.

The referendum question approved on Monday does not spell out the new name but underscores the government's ambitions of stronger ties with the West.

On September 30, the public will be asked: "Are you for EU and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?"

"The question is ambiguous and multifaceted, and above all manipulative," said Igor Janusev, a leading member of the nationalist opposition VMRO-DPMNE party.

If Macedonians do vote for the name change and the parliament amends the constitution, Greece's lawmakers will then have to ratify the accord.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hailed the victory in parliament as a "historic day"

Greece's parliament has voted narrowly to back a historic agreement ending a 27-year dispute over its northern neighbour's name.

Parliament in Athens agreed by 153 votes to 146 to approve the name Republic of North Macedonia, despite widespread opposition from the public.

"North Macedonia was born today," said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Greece has rejected Macedonia's name since its independence in 1991, as there is a Greek region of that name.

Failure to find an appropriate name meant that Greece frustrated Macedonia's drive to join both Nato and the European Union.

Opposition to the deal is strongest in the northern Greek region of Macedonia, and polls suggest more than 60% of Greeks dislike it.

Thousands of people protested outside parliament on Thursday night, but far smaller numbers braved the torrential rain on Friday as the vote took place.

How leaders reacted

Mr Tsipras, who was involved in negotiating the deal, said it was a "historic day".

"Congratulations my friend," his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev responded on Twitter. "Together with our peoples we reached a historic victory."

There were warm words from EU officials, who praised both countries for setting "an example of reconciliation for Europe" by resolving "one of the most entrenched disputes in the region".

Image copyright Reuters Image caption A small group of protesters demonstrated outside as the vote took place

The debate in the chamber lasted more than 38 hours, and more than 200 MPs spoke.

The centre-right opposition condemned the deal as a "national defeat" and members of the far-right Golden Dawn party shouted "traitors!" as the vote came to an end.

Why is the deal so divisive?

The row has run deep in both countries since Macedonia became a new nation after the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991.

The Macedonia region in Greece includes its second city Thessaloniki. Many Greeks were enraged their northern neighbour had adopted a name that dates back to antiquity - fearing their neighbours had territorial ambitions.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption There have been a number of violent clashes involving plan protestors

The Greek region, which includes the birthplace of Alexander the Great, is considered an intrinsic part of Greek heritage.

At the UN, its neighbour became known simply as Fyrom, an acronym for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and attempts to resolve the matter foundered for decades.

Fury inside and out

Analysis by Mark Lowen, BBC News, Athens

The angry scenes in parliament echoed the fury outside: as one MP spoke of the death threats she'd received in supporting the Macedonia bill, and another shouted "no to treason" while he voted, protesters on the steps of parliament screamed "traitors!"

In the past week, police have fired tear gas here as tens of thousands have demonstrated under the Greek flag, deploring what they saw as their government's capitulation to pressure from Nato and the EU.

While outsiders might scratch their heads at the apparent absurdity of this row, Greeks are fiercely attached to their history.

"We've lost everything in the financial crisis - now we're losing our dignity" is a familiar refrain from those protesting.

The right-wing opposition leader, ahead in the polls, says he'll still veto North Macedonia's EU accession when it comes to it - though by the time the small Balkan country is ready to join, passions may have calmed and Greeks will no doubt have other nationalist fish to fry.

Mr Tsipras lost his coalition government partner last week and had to survive a no-confidence vote in the run-up to the vote.

He had to rely on eight independent and opposition lawmakers to help him get the deal through parliament on Friday.

What is in the deal?

The deal was signed last June by the two countries' prime ministers at Lake Prespa, which has shores in Greece, Macedonia and Albania.

It means that Macedonia will now become the Republic of North Macedonia, or North Macedonia for short.

Image copyright Greek foreign ministry Image caption Greece's acting Foreign Minister George Katrougalos signed the agreement into Greek law shortly after the vote

Macedonia has already ratified the agreement and will inform the United Nations that the accord has been reached.

Aside from the name change, the deal carries assurances that there will be no attempt to appropriate the other country's territory.

Within a month, a commission will be set up to look at the two countries' history books, to ensure there is an objective interpretation of the past.

When does the new name take effect?

The Greek prime minister said on Friday that North Macedonia had been born, however it will still take time for the name to be formally declared.

Macedonian officials told the BBC that it would only be used when Greece ratified the Nato accession deal, expected within a few weeks.

That will take place after Nato ambassadors sign the accession protocol in the coming days.

But North Macedonia is likely to become formalised before that, when the government in Skopje tells the UN that both countries have agreed the deal. </s> Macedonia: Parliament to vote on referendum on name deal

SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) — Macedonian lawmakers will vote on a government's proposal setting down details for a referendum over a deal with neighboring Greece to change the country's name to North Macedonia.

The proposals are expected to be approved Monday. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's coalition holds 67 of parliament's 120 seats, and a simple majority is required.

Zaev has suggested the referendum be held Sept. 30 with the question: "Are you in favor of European Union and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?"

The two countries have been at odds for decades over the smaller country's use of the name Macedonia, which Greece says implies territorial claims over its own province of the same name. </s> Macedonia's parliament has approved a government proposal setting September 30 as the date for a referendum on a deal with Greece to rename the country.

Sixty-eight deputies in the 120-member parliament voted on July 30 in favor of holding a referendum on the question: "Are you in favor of NATO and EU membership, and accepting the name agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and Greece?"

Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told reporters the agreement -- aimed at ending a long-running dispute with Greece that should help pave the way for Macedonia to join the European Union and NATO security alliance -- will "define the future of the Republic of Macedonia."

Protests have taken place both in Greece and Macedonia since their foreign ministers signed a deal on June 17 to rename the country the Republic of North Macedonia -- North Macedonia for short.

Macedonian lawmakers later voted in favor of the bill to ratify the agreement, which is strongly opposed by the main opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE .

The nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party also disputes the announced referendum question, saying the deal with Athens should not be linked with the country's EU and NATO membership bids.

The party's deputies did not attend the vote in protest.

"The question must be understandable, simple...it should state, 'Do you support or oppose the agreement with Greece which envisages a name change,'" VMRO-DPMNE deputy head Aleksandar Nikolovski told RFE/RL before the vote.

The name dispute between Skopje and Athens dates back to 1991, when Macedonia peacefully broke away from Yugoslavia, declaring its independence under the name Republic of Macedonia.

Neighboring Greece has objected to the name Macedonia, saying it implies territorial claims on the northern Greek region with the same name.

Because of Greek objections, Macedonia was admitted to the UN under a provisional name, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and MIA </s> A vote in Greece’s parliament to end a name dispute with neighboring FYR Macedonia, set to take place late Thursday, has been pushed back to Friday.

A deal reached between the two countries last year would have FYR Macedonia change its name to North Macedonia in exchange for Greece allowing North Macedonia’s bid to join NATO.

FYR Macedonia’s parliament backed the constitutional amendment to change its name, but for the deal to be complete, the changes must also be passed by Greece’s parliament.

The vote, initially scheduled to be held after midnight Thursday, was pushed back several hours to Friday to accommodate the large number of Greek lawmakers who wished to speak on the issue before the balloting.

The announcement on the delay came as protesters from the Greek Communist Party draped giant banners outside the Acropolis which read “No to the Tsipras-Zaev agreement.”

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his FYR Macedonian counterpart, Zoran Zaev, have reportedly been nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for their agreement last year to move to end one of the world’s longest diplomatic disputes – which began in 1991 when FYR Macedonia split from Yugoslavia.

But Greeks have been divided over the accord, in which Macedonia will change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Some Greeks say the new name still represents an attempt to appropriate Greek identity and cultural heritage, because Macedonia is also the name of Greece’s northern province made famous by Alexander the Great’s conquests.

The agreement has led Tsipras to lose his four-year coalition in parliament after his nationalist allies defected to protest the deal. Following the upheaval, Tsipras narrowly won a confidence vote in parliament Wednesday.

The agreement has also caused protests in FYR Macedonia, with critics there saying the government gave up too much in the deal.
The parliament of Greece votes 153–146 in approval of changing the name of the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia, ending a 27-year naming dispute.