Macedonia's Parliament approves change of name

For the appropriate amendment to the Constitution is voted in 81 of the 120 members of Parliament. There were neither votes against nor abstentions. Thus, the required two-thirds majority just. The Parliament in Athens must agree to the agreement between the Greek government and its leader, Alexis Tsipras, and the Macedonian Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev.

The renaming of the country is a key condition for Macedonia to settle the name dispute with Greece. Thus, the way to inclusion in Nato and EU for Macedonia has been blocked in Athens so far.

After the independence, in the process of the disintegration of Yugoslavia in 1991, the country was under the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (abbreviation: FYROM) a member of the United Nations. Greece has since been a name change, because a province in the North of the country also bears the name Macedonia (Greek: Makedonia).

Intensive negotiations with Albanians

the vote on Friday evening, changed the Parliament, the Constitution in several points. In addition to the name change, the people's representatives also decided on a formulation, which holds that Macedonia has no claims on territories of neighbouring countries.

The social democratic Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev had negotiated up to the last intensively with the Albanian parties, the guarantees for the protection of their rights in the amended Constitution had required. Macedonia is inhabited by a majority of Slavic Macedonians. The Albanians make up about 25 percent of the population. In addition, there are Serbs and Roma in the Balkan country.

nationalists in both countries, however,

last June, Zaev and his Greek colleague, Mr Alexis Tsipras had agreed that Greece ends its blockade against Macedonia, as the Northern neighbour in the North-renaming Macedonia. Nationalists in both countries reject this solution. They justify the fears that they might lose their national identity.

Now it's up to Greece, the name dispute can be definitively resolved. Although Tsipras in his Parliament needs only a simple majority, in order to solve the Macedonian question. However, since the coalition partner, the party of the nationalist Panos Kammenos, does not want to follow in this matter, you must look for Tsipras, a new majority. (sda)

Created: 12.01.2019, 05:10 PM