Republic of Macedonia

Thanassis Papachristopoulos, a deputy of the nationalist Independent Greeks (ANEL), will reportedly relinquish his seat in Parliament on Friday, after lawmakers vote on the crucial NATO accession protocol of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia which will complete Greece's ratification process, Kathimerini has learned.

The leader of nationalist Independent Greeks (ANEL), Panos Kammenos, told deputy Thanassis Papachristopoulos on Thursday that if he does not give up his parliamentary seat by Friday he will be expelled from the party.

He was speaking on the day the newly-named Republic of North Macedonia signed a pact that will pave the way for the country to join NATO, Euronews said in its report, cited by Tanjug on Thursday.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov on Wednesday signed an accession protocol at the alliance's Brussels headquarters, bringing the Balkan nation one step closer to joining NATO.

Greece's foreign ministry submitted to the parliament's national defense and foreign affairs committee on Wednesday evening a draft bill on the protocol that paves the way for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to join NATO under the name "Republic of North Macedonia."

This happened when the alliance's member states signed the accession protocol, he said.

At NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday (6 February 2019) the Permanent Representatives to NATO of the 29 members of the Alliance signed the Accession Protocol for the future Republic of North Macedonia. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov.

The small Balkan country of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) took a big step Wednesday toward becoming the 30th member of NATO, the world's biggest military alliance.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has taken a big step toward joining NATO after allies signed a key document that could see the tiny Balkans country become the 30th member of the world's biggest military alliance over the next year.

Foreign ministers of NATO member states and of Macedonia on Wednesday, meeting at the alliance's Brussels headquarters, signed the protocol on the country's accession, marking a major step on the path to full membership.