Greek govt will decide on ratification process after Macedonia fulfills its commitments


According to a press release from the Greek Prime Minister’s Office, it is clear that the Greek side has not yet decided how to ratify the Greek-Macedonian Agreement. “When the other party does its best to fulfill the commitments stemming from the Agreement, the government will make decisions regarding the ratification process collectively, always respecting the international […]

Second vote in Parliament on the name agreement on Thursday


The second vote on the law on ratification of the agreement with Greece is scheduled for Thursday, At today’s coordination in parliament, it was agreed that the new session be scheduled on July 5, when at least 61 MPs should declare the ratification for the president to be obliged to sign. The Parliament of Macedonia […]

Fresh protests in Athens and Thessaloniki over the name agreement


Fresh protests against the name agreement will be staged in Athens and Thessaloniki on Sunday, MIA reports. The protests are organized by civil movements not familiar to the public – Movement for national defense and Macedonia-Alexander the Great, and Scientific committee for national issues. “Greece means Macedonia. All Greeks at Syntagma square to defend our […]

Ban Ki-moon: Name issue to be resolved ‘once and for all’


The fact that a name solution was reached is encouraging, but it is concerning that there is discontent among the people, according to Ban Ki-moon. The former UN chief has expressed hope that the decades-long dispute between the countries will be fully closed as soon as possible, MIA’s Athens correspondent reports citing his statement to […]

What if the referendum turnout is 49 percent?


49 percent of all registered voters came out to vote in the referendum to change the name to integrate the country into the EU and NATO, of which 90 percent were “in favor” and 10 percent “against”. Theoretically, in the near future, similar news such as this (which is hypothetical), perhaps with slightly different percentages, […]

Thessaloniki protest over name agreement staged on Sunday


A protest against the Macedonia-Greece name agreement was staged in Thessaloniki on Sunday. Group dubbed “United Macedonians” organized the protest, which ended with minor incidents. Protesters passed through the Macedonian consulate, the United States Embassy and towards the offices of ruling parties SYRIZA and Independent Greeks. There were minor incidents in front of the offices of junior […]

Macedonia’s Parliament ratifies name deal with Greece


Macedonia’s Parliament adopted Wednesday the law on ratification of the Final Agreement for the settlement of the differences as described in the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the Interim Accord of 1995 and the establishment of a strategic partnership. Lawmakers voted 69-0 to ratify the agreement, while […]

Zaev: We should not miss the historic chance


The agreement marks the beginning of the end of uncertainty for Macedonia and represents dignified and acceptable solution for both sides, with which the Macedonian identity and language is permanently confirmed, PM Zoran Zaev said Wednesday prior to start of parliament’s session at which name agreement with Greece should be ratified. “We have an agreement […]

Serwer: Macedonia-Greece name deal is a major step forward for the entire Balkans


Political analyst Daniel Serwer believes that agreement that Macedonia signed with Greece is not only a major step forward for both countries, but also for entire Balkans, MIA correspondent from Washington reports. Serwer told MIA that if the agreement is passed in both parliaments and if passed on a referendum in Macedonia “it will improve […]

UK “unreservedly” welcomes Macedonian issue deal


The UK Government has unreservedly welcomed the agreement between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia on the long-standing issue of the latter’s name. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson used his Twitter account to declare his satisfaction at the news of the deal: “Fantastic news that PMs Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras have reached an agreement on the […]

Angjusev: Government to negotiate about the gas pipeline to Greece next year


Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Koco Angjusev said Monday that Hellenic Petroleum initiates and the government will gladly accept to meet and to negotiate about the gas pipeline. Angjusev told reporters at the press briefing in the government that negotiations have not started, but will start and the public will be informed about it. “Hellenic […]

Macedonian Government approves the accord about the issue of the name


The accord about the issue of the name, which was signed yesterday in Prespa by the delegations of Macedonia and Greece, has been approved by the government in Skopje today. After the approval by the government, the bill on the ratification of the agreement regarding the name will be sent to parliament. The agreement may […]

Kotzias: From million to 4,000 protesters; Greeks have broken stereotypes


From a million protesters, we’ve gone down to 100,000, and now to 4,000. Greeks have broken stereotypes, Foreign Minister of Greece Nikos Kotzias said Sunday, commenting yesterday’s protests near Prespa. Immediately after the name deal signing, FM Kotzias met with the Regional Governor of Western Macedonia Theodoros Karipidis. Karipidis gave Kotzias a resolution from the […]

Name agreement signed, Macedonia and Greece put an end to decades-long dispute


The heads of diplomacy of Macedonia and Greece, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kodzias, today in Psarades put their signatures to the agreement on resolving the Macedonia-Greece name dispute and strategic partnership, in the presence of the prime ministers Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras. The agreement envisages an erga omnes name for the country, the Republic […]

Dimitrov: Tomorrow is a ‘historic’ day for Macedonia


Tomorrow is a historic day for Macedonia, a day that paves us the way toward the future, said Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov. “Tomorrow is, in fact, one major step to close the issue, which is as old as the independence of Macedonia, that is from 1991,” Dimitrov said speaking to reporters at the opening of the One […]

Bulgarian FM Zaharieva won’t attend signing of name deal


Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister said she wouldn’t attend the signing of the name agreement between Macedonia and Greece. The event is set to take place on Sunday in the region of Prespa. “It is a bilateral issue between Greece and Macedonia. Two EU commissioners and the UN’s Assistant Secretary General will be attending. We won’t be there,” Ekaterina Zaharieva […]

Greek MPs to vote on no-confidence motion in government


Greek lawmakers entered the third and final day of debate Saturday on a no-confidence motion against the government over a deal to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Macedonia over the latter’s name, AP reported. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ left-led coalition government is expected to survive the vote, set for later in the day. His government controls […]

British expert: Skopje-Athens agreement fair and balanced


The Skopje-Athens name agreement is fair and balanced, representing a very important step, says James , expert on Southeast Europe at the London School of Economics and Political Science. “Being a person dealing with the Western Balkans and wishing to see the area in the EU, I know how important is this step,” sayd Ker-Lindsay. […]

The signing of the agreement to take place in Prespes on Sunday


According to  exclusive information,  the signing of the Agreement on the settlement of the name dispute between Greece and Macedonia will be signed on Sunday, June 17. According to the planner, the signing ceremony will be attended by the Foreign ministers of Greece and Macedonia, Nikos Kotzias and Nikola Dimitrov respectively, in the presence of the two […]