We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
MACEDONIA PRIME MINISTER Zoran Zaev hailed a “historic solution” that ends a longstanding row with Greece by renaming his country the Republic of North Macedonia.
The 27-year dispute has led to frequent disagreement and protests, but the two countries agreed on the new title of the former Yugoslav republic after months of intensive diplomacy.
“There is an agreement. We have a historic solution after two and a half decades. Our agreement includes Republic of North Macedonia for overall use,” Zaev told reporters in the capital Skopje.
Greece has long objected to its northern neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own northern province of the same name.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras also declared a deal had been struck.
“We have reached an accord, a good accord that covers all the conditions set by Greece,” Tsipras said in televised comments after briefing Greece’s president Prokopis Pavlopoulos on the accord.
Macedonia hopes that resolving the name dispute will help clear the way for it to join the European Union and Nato.
European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted his support for the agreement: “Thanks to you the impossible is becoming possible.”
“I am keeping my fingers crossed,” he said.
The deal still needs to be approved by the Macedonian and Greek parliaments.
Hardliners critical
Greek officials earlier said the list of potential names included ‘New Macedonia’ and ‘Upper Macedonia’, but after months of discussions ‘North Macedonia’ was chosen.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias had prepared a 20-page draft agreement after repeated talks with his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov.
Kotzias told Kontra TV yesterday that the agreement would specify that Macedonia’s language is of Slavic origin.
“It’s clear that (Macedonia) bears no relation to the ancient (Macedonian) culture… and that their language belongs to the Slavic language,” he said.
Both governments have faced criticism ahead of the compromise and today Macedonia’s President Gjorge Ivanov signalled his concern.
“There is a need for a wider national consensus to find a solution that won’t hurt the dignity of the Macedonian people and citizens,” said Ivanov.
He is close to a nationalist party which was defeated by Zaev in elections last year.
This year there have been several protests against an agreement in Skopje, as well as in Athens and Greece’s second city of Thessaloniki in the north.
‘No chance’
Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, a hardline junior coalition partner in Tsipras’s government, earlier dismissed talk of a deal, saying there was “no chance” Zaev could get it approved.
Greece’s parliament will be called to ratify the agreement after Macedonian lawmakers approve it, provided that Skopje fulfils preliminary EU and Nato requirements to begin membership talks, Kotzias said.
Skopje hopes to secure a date to begin accession talks at an EU summit in late June, and an invitation to join Nato in mid-July.
“This historic agreement is testament to many years of patient diplomacy, and to the willingness of these two leaders to solve a dispute which has affected the region for too long,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.
“This will set Skopje on its path to NATO membership. And it will help to consolidate peace and stability across the wider Western Balkans,” he added.
The EU’s diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said the deal “contributes to the transformation of the entire region of southeast Europe”.
Athens has long objected to its neighbour’s constitutional name – the Republic of Macedonia – because it fears it could imply territorial ambitions.
Ancient Macedonia was the cradle of Alexander the Great’s empire, a point of pride to Greeks today.
But under the Romans, the province of Macedonia was expanded to include territory in modern-day Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Albania.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The article didn’t give the present name of the country so I will, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. So there.
@David Dickson: often you learn more in the comments than the article!
@David Dickson: yep, I can still remember Ireland losing 3-2 to the FYR
@Irish “Design”: https://img.gifglobe.com/grabs/fatherted/S03E04/gif/BskXRsdPgpMc.gif
@David Dickson: Officially, it’s just Republic of Macedonia. The FYR bit is provisional and used as a political descriptor and has never been officially adopted.
@Ajax Penumbra: in the end, it will be known to everyone, bar a few Greek farmers, as simply “Macedonia”
Brings to mind the laconic wit of the ancient Spartans relating to Philip II of Macedon. After invading southern Greece and receiving the submission of other key city-states, he turned his attention to Sparta and asked menacingly whether he should come as friend or foe; the reply was ,
“Neither.”
Losing patience, he sent the message:
You are advised to submit without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city.
The Spartan’s again replied with a single word .
If .
Subsequently, neither Philip nor his son Alexander the Great attempted to capture the city.
@Before its too late: love this
@Before its too late: nice story. 100% Disney of course and pure shite but the students will love it.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: Why you I oughtta !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quQmJz4ub0s&list=PLkqxdJDwUFJV6nEzHiDVMsRROu4jw77m6
I’m still going to call it Macedonia
@Stevie Doran: Funnily enough the shopping chain Mace was also once called Macedonia but alas they too were forced to change their name as a result of a war waged by Ronald MacDonald who is also now raging a similar war against Pat McDonagh.
Who is going to stand by the water cooler at work and say, hey did you see The Republic of North Macedonia match last night?
@Alan Madden: The same people who will stand beside the water cooler and say , hey did you see the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea match last night .
Wait, was their membership of the EU or NATO being held up because Greece didn’t like their name? If that is true then it is beyond ridiculous.
@The Bob: I think Greece is rightly concerned about potential irredentism, especially since it’s so rampant in the Balkans.
Although only the most extreme margins of Alexander’s Macedon lie outside Greece, its identity has been adopted wholesale by the FYR. And there are nationalist groups who seek to take from Greece that land as well.
That Greece is happy with even this name change is a compromise on their part.
@Steven C. Schulz: funny that given that the Greeks didn’t consider Macedonians as Greek at the time of Alexander.
@Steven C. Schulz: you seriously think a country with population 5 times less than Greece, with no navy and air force, barely 10 tanks, military spending in the tens of millions will attack or has the slightest chance against a country with full army, navy and air force and military spending in the billions? Then you and the rest who believe that suffer from heavy paranoia.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: Yes they did , can you quote any links to your claims . Most of Greeces city states at one time or another warred with each other . Even the ancient Trojans were considered Greek .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_(ancient_kingdom)
The people’s front of Macedonia is now the Macedonian people’s front
The article is incorrect. The new name will be “Republic of Severna Makedonija” without translation. Translation to North Macedonia according to the agreement is not allowed.
Just need a few bigoted DUP Orange men and they could have a proper northern problem
@nelly: __ Northern Masochism.
Lining up another nation to join the NATO terrorist organisation.
@The Bull McCabe: Such brain washed Waffle..
@The Bull McCabe: for safety and the EU for growth
@Darren Norris: the EU is deliberately engaged in endangering all of us with its loony immigration stance.
Never been.
@Free comment ratings: I know seriously like who cares – Tesla was Macedonian Though
@Free comment ratings: I would recommend.wonderful people and some fantastic scenery
@Thomas Harrington: Eh, Croatian/Serbian !
@Dotty Dunleary: Just to complicate the issue, Austrian empire/Croatia .
@Before its too late: And American…
@Dotty Dunleary:
Ottoman?
@Thomas Harrington: eh, no he was not.
I guess I can get some sleep now…
Ridiculousness!! (Writing this with all sincerity from the free republic of southern and north western Ireland)
Monte Python stuff
The FYR of Macedonia was originally psrt if Bulgaria before it was carved up by axis powers after WW1
have your say