Macedonia to be called 'Republic of Northern Macedonia'

Macedonia and Greece reach agreement in name dispute

Macedonia will be named the Republic of North Macedonia, or Severna Makedonija in Macedonian, after reaching a deal with Greece on the decades-long name issue, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said.

Greek officials earlier said the list of potential names included "New Macedonia" and "Upper Macedonia", but after months of discussions "North Macedonia" was chosen.

Greece has been insisting that use of the name "Macedonia" implies a territorial claim to Greece's own northern province of Macedonia, and a claim to Greece's ancient heritage.

Ancient Macedonia was the cradle of Alexander the Great's empire, a point of pride to Greeks today.

Skopje took on the name Macedonia in 1991, following its independence, and Greece vetoed its bid to join North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the European Union over the name dispute.

Zaev said resolving the longstanding issue would open Macedonia's access to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the EU.

Athens, which has a northern region also called Macedonia bordering on the ex-Yugoslav republic, objected to the name, demanding it be changed.

In the 1995 interim bilateral accord, Greece agreed that the term "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) would be applied to Macedonia until the dispute is settled.

If you're planning to travel to Macedonia to see its handsome scenery and historic destinations, it might be good to check the exact name of the country before you leave.

DUP to back Theresa May over Brexit amendments

But Greeks seem cool to any deal involving the continued use of the name "Macedonia" by their northern neighbour.

In February, as NPR's Joanna Kakassis reported, more than 140,000 Greeks marched to parliament in Athens as part of a "Macedonia is Greece" rally, chanting that the name "is in our soul".

Basically, way back in 1991 the two countries fell out when Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday's "historic agreement" was "testament to many years of patient diplomacy", and called on the two countries' prime ministers to finalize the deal. However, Tsipras said, this will be contingent on Macedonia completing the constitutional changes.

European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted his "sincere congratulations" to Tsipras and Zaev. I believe in the democracy of the internet and want to keep this site and its enriching content free for everyone. "Thanks to you, the impossible is becoming possible", he said. That challenge will still be a mountain to climb, as Greek Prime Minister Tsipras has not yet secured any support in parliament.

The two prime ministers are expected to sign the agreement over the next weekend.

Greek opponents of the deal say it would not go far enough.

The main opposition party in Macedonia, the conservative VMRO-DPMNE, accused Zaev of "capitulating" to Greece.

Greece also demanded that Macedonia drops from its flag the rayed sun of Vergina, which it claimed was an ancient Greek symbol, as well as certain articles from its constitution. The dispute poisoned relations between the two neighbours, and the United Nations appointed a special envoy to mediate.

Related News:

13 June 2018

Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who dropped gun while dancing turns himself in
A muzzle flash can be seen on the video. "And knowing he was armed, he may have elected to avoid the dance-off". Mile High Spirits said on its Facebook page that the bar's management was "deeply saddened" by the incident.

13 June 2018

Control is Alan Wake dev Remedy Entertainment's P7
The game is billed as a "sandbox-style, gameplay-driven experience" and is built on their proprietary Northlight engine. Remedy Entertainment finally unveiled its mysterious project P7 at E3 this year.

13 June 2018

WC 2018: Blow for France as Mbappe suffers injury
The 19-year-old forward appeared to hurt his left ankle in a tackle from defender Adil Rami during a practice match on Tuesday. Four days before his World Cup debut, Kylian Mbappe left France's training session limping, after a clash with Adil Rami.
13 June 2018

Apple's 2019 iPhones to finally adopt USB-C, rumor says
Apple is still in its redesign phase and will not be able to equip the technology in its upcoming iPhones, the sources claimed. Except for being a common standard, USB-C has no other advantage over Lightning connector in a smartphone.

13 June 2018

Shoemaker Christian Louboutin Wins EU Court Battle Over Red Soles
Dutch judges referred the case to the EU's top courts for clarification on the bloc's trademark laws. Under EU law it was argued companies can not trademark common shapes such as the soles of shoes.

13 June 2018

British PM avoids Brexit defeat in knife-edge parliament vote
May objected to the amendment - inserted by the House of Lords - because she said it would tie her hands in the negotiation. Starmer's call comes as lawmakers are bracing for a fierce parliamentary debate over Britain's European Union divorce bill.
13 June 2018

'Luke Cage' Season 2 Trailer Features Mariah Dillard, Bushmaster
After all, he's Harlem's hero, and Harlem's hero works against criminals, not with them. He is forced to confront the fine line that separates a hero from a villain.

13 June 2018

Uber is piloting a Lite version of its rider app in India
Similarly, Uber Lite will also show options for drop points like your saved places or popular landmarks. Ride-sharing company Uber has launched its Uber Lite Android app in India.

13 June 2018

Steam finally adds voice chat and flexible friend lists in new beta
This keeps your IP address private, which masks your physical location and also prevents network attacks. Steam Chat is available to trial now and is in beta on both the desktop client and in your web browser.
Here's Why Meghan Markle Was Not Front & Center at Balcony Debut
And according to well-placed sources in the fashion industry, Harry has been keenly giving tips for her new fit-for-a-duchess wardrobe.

13 June 2018

Made in India 'Uber Lite' rolls out for Android users
In comparison, Ola Lite has a lot going on in the app and even comes with ride options for rentals and outstation. Uber Lite is a simple version of the rider app that saves space, works on any network, and on any Android phone .

13 June 2018

Raccoon scales St. Paul office tower, captivating public
Raccoons are not typically known for their bravery, but one is scaling the UBS tower in Minnesota with death-defying nerve. The raccoon was first spotted on a ledge Tuesday morning, just a few floors high.