Gjorge Ivanov

A national holiday in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia hasn't given the prime minister and president a day off from disagreeing about a deal to rename the country North Macedonia.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev urged his countrymen on Thursday - the 115th anniversary of a failed rebellion against Ottoman Turkey - to support the agreement with Greece in a Sept. 30 referendum.

Romania's Prime Minister Viorica Dancila is starting today a three-day Western Balkans tour that includes official visits to Montenegro and Macedonia, where she is scheduled to meet state officials.

Balkan leaders were high on the foreign guest list as Turkey's strongman for 16 years, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was sworn in as President once again at the country's parliament in Ankara on Monday.

The president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on Friday issued a statement saying that "no amount of pressure or blackmail" will make him change his mind and support the name deal signed with Greece last month.

US Vice President Mike Pence will speak on the phone with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at 10 p.m. (Greek time) on Thursday, and half an hour later with the Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Zoran Zaev, Pence's office announced.

The Parliament of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) approved for the second time the deal signed with Greece on the country's name, which had been returned to the House after the country's President Gjorge Ivanov refused to rubber-stamp the first decree.

The head of the right-wing Independent Greeks party has indicated he is prepared to bring down the coalition government over the issue, the AP is reporting.

The agreement reached between Greek and Macedonian prime ministers has been met with opposition and protests in both countries. At the same time, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov is refusing to sign the deal.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was left with a wafer-thin majority in parliament on Tuesday after a lawmaker from his fragile left-right coalition quit over an agreement with neighbouring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to resolve a dispute over its name.

The Parliament of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has ratified a deal with neighboring Greece signed last weekend to end a decades-long dispute over the Balkan country's name. 

Macedonia's parliamentarians on Wednesday approved the long-negotiated agreement with Greece over the country's name, with all 69 deputies who attended the session voting in favour. Opposition deputies boycotted the session, however. Parliament has 120 seats.