Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Commentators have recently suggested that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may achieve a political legacy "unmatched" by any of his recent predecessors, or that he has achieved the status of "statesman," or that, along with Zoran Zaev, his counterpart in North Macedonia, he might be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his North Macedonia counterpart Zoran Zaev have been officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, state-run Athens-Macedonian news agency has reported.

Enter North Macedonia.

The small Balkan country of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name Tuesday by adding a geographic designation that ends a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece and secures its entry into NATO.

Members of an honor guard hoist the NATO flag next to that of the newly named North Macedonia in front of the government building in Skopje Tuesday.

Peace and security in Europe depends on achieving stability in the Western Balkans, Charles Ries, who served as US ambassador to Greece from 2004 to 2007 and principal deputy assistant secretary of state for European affairs from 2000 to 2004, has told Kathimerini in an interview.

Members of an honor guard hoist the NATO flag alongside the flag of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in front of the government building in Skopje, Tuesday.

The Prespes agreement has - one way or another - successfully been ratified by the parliaments in both Skopje and Athens.

The accession protocol for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to join NATO under the new name North Macedonia was approved by a parliamentary committee on Thursday.

The protocol is to go the House plenary on Friday for debate followed by a vote which is expected to approve it, bringing FYROM one step closer to joining the alliance. 

NATO membership could take a heavy toll on Skopje's foreign policy independence, Moscow warned Thursday, a day after NATO members signed an accord with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) allowing the Balkan country to become the 30th member of the US-led alliance.

Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Michael McCaul, Ranking Member, have urged the US administration to support the membership of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in the NATO security alliance.