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Maik:

--- Quote ---Macedonia and Greece: Deal after 27-year row over a name

Greece has reached a deal on the name of its northern neighbour, which called itself Macedonia at the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

After 27 years of talks - and many protests - they have settled on the name Republic of North Macedonia, or Severna Makedonija in Macedonian.

Under the deal, the country known at the United Nations as Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fyrom) will be named Severna Makedonija, or Republic of North Macedonia.

Its language will be Macedonian and its people known as Macedonians (citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia).

Will the name fly?

The aim is to get Macedonia's parliament to back an agreement before EU leaders meet for a summit on 28 June. Greece will then send a letter to the EU withdrawing its objection to accession talks and a letter to Nato too.

That will be followed by a Macedonian referendum in September or October.

If Macedonian voters back the deal, their government will then have to change the constitution, a key Greek demand.

The deal will finally have to be ratified by the Greek parliament.

That may not be straightforward. Greeks are generally opposed to any name that includes Macedonia and some political parties are unlikely to back this.
--- End quote ---
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44401643

TonyKath:
A major step forward, a game changer even, if it gets enough support. It's being strongly opposed by Mitsotakis of New Democracy and Ivanof, the President of FYROM, is against what he says is just an agreement between two prime ministers.

Tony

Maik:
Sure hasn't got universal support, as the comments in the brief video clip on the Independent website show:

Macedonia president refuses to sign deal with Greece changing name of country

Maik:
The full transcript of the Greece-FYROM deal

That's according to ekathimerini.com. Nineteen page .pdf, in English but haven't attempted to read it yet.

TonyKath:
Thanks for the link, Maik. Didn't expect to say this but it is quite interesting. It's a much more comprehensive agreement than just names. It includes abandoning all claims to each other's territory and opposing all such irredentist claims by others within each country's own  territory. There is also a major concession by N. Macedonia regarding recognition of and respect towards Greek "patrimony" within its territory, effectively allowing Greece to claim Alexander the Great etc.  N. Macedonia will also abandon irredentist symbols on flags etc. i. e the Vergina Star.

No wonder there's a lot of kerfuffle on both sides.

Tony

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