Greece–Republic of Macedonia relations

Conventional wisdom has it that the Macedonia dispute is an issue of national importance for Greece. But what kind of issue is it exactly? And how is Greece performing?

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

With Athens notifying the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Monday of its ratification of both the Prespes Agreement and the NATO Accession Protocol, the neighboring country must start fulfilling its obligations by putting up 'North Macedonia' signs, in place of the old 'Macedonia' ones.

Greece will send a diplomatic notification Monday informing the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) of its ratification of the Prespes Agreement and FYROM's NATO Accession Protocol, Alternate Foreign Minister George Katrougalos said Sunday.

The Greek parliament on Friday ratified with 153 votes in favor and 140 against a NATO accord with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for its admission into NATO under a new name, after a deal with Greece ended a 27-year-old dispute over its name.

On January 25, 2019 the Greek Parliament narrowly approved the Prespes agreement, establishing closer relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), now North Macedonia. The vote was preceded and followed by multitudinous demonstrations at Syntagma Square, where orators roused the crowds to a frenzy of nationalistic fervor.

The Greek parliament is expected to be the first of any NATO member state to ratify Macedonia's NATO accession protocol on Friday, at a plenary session that is expected to end in a positive vote.

The accession protocol for soon-to-be North Macedonia is expected to be backed by much the same number of MPs that approved the historic "name" deal with Macedonia in January.

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.

Workers are removing ornate metal railings protecting the government building complex in Skopje, in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), under the new administration's drive to boost openness and reconciliation.

The dismantling that started Thursday had been a campaign promise by the left-led government, which took over in 2016 after a decade of conservative rule.

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.