FYROM FM says referendum result not binding

In an indication of the difficulties surrounding the ratification of the name deal by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), its foreign minister said on Monday that the result of this Sunday's referendum in the Balkan nation is not necessarily binding.

Nikola Dimitrov told Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that if participation in the referendum comes to less than 50 percent, then the decision whether to ratify the deal or not will lie with Parliament.

"The referendum is not a legal prerequisite for the resolution process," he said, adding that it is not stipulated in the agreement with Greece.

Dimitrov said that securing a participation of more than 50 percent in the referendum may be compromised by the fact that FYROM has 1.8 million voters of whom 300,000-400,000 are not in the country.

At the same time, FYROM President...