Republic of Macedonia

The prime minister of the newly named North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, has told the Financial Times that his country's accession to NATO is a "great honor" and described the fears that he and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras had had before signing the Prespes deal. 

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.

Macedonian Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi will attend the vote in the Bulgarian National Assembly on his country's NATO Accession Protocol, reported the Bulgarian National Television. 

On 15 February, the Parliamentary Defense Committee approved the Protocol. Voting is expected to take place on Wednesday - 20 February.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that she had given up hope that Athens and Skopje could ever find a solution to the decades-old name dispute, before congratulating the two prime ministers for reaching a settlement.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (l) and North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev (r) attend a discussion session during the 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Saturday. "History is written by those who dare to make changes and stand on the right side of history.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday she had given up hope that Athens and Skopje could ever find a solution to the decades-old name dispute, before congratulating the two prime ministers for reaching a settlement.

Police in North Macedonia have prevented a planned "terrorist act" by supporters of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, the Western Balkan country's Interior Ministry says, reported by Radio Free Europe. 

Conservative New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis (second from right) is seen at the Munich Security Conference, which started Friday and is to run through Sunday, with International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde (left) and the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

The foreign ministry of newly renamed North Macedonia says it has formally informed the United Nations, UN member states and international bodies that its new name has come into effect under a historic deal to end a long dispute with neighboring Greece.

February 14 and 15 will be declared mourning days due to the severe crash that happened on the Skopje-Tetovo road near Carpalak, reports the Skopje TV MTM.