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Macedonia and Greece: Deal after 27-year row over a nameGreece 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.
Macedonia and Greece: Vote settles 27-year name rowGreek 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.Thousands demonstrated outside parliament on Thursday night.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.
from what we can now call Northern Macedonia. Balkan politics - fwah!Tony
Socialists and Democrats, Greens and United Left nominate Tsipras and Zaev for Peace Nobel Prize Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev have been nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize by the leader of the EU parliament Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group Udo Bullmann, of the Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) Ska Keller and of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) Gabbi Zimmer, according to exclusive information the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) secured on Saturday.
Zaev’s choice of words irks AthensThe Greek government is concerned by the insistence of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on calling his country “Macedonia” following Greece’s approval last week of the Prespes deal changing the country’s name to North Macedonia.