Prespa agreement

National Assembly President Tsveta Karayancheva spoke with her colleague from the Assembly of the Republic of Northern Macedonia Talat Xhaferi, reported the Bulgarian National Television.

He is in Bulgaria on the occasion of the vote in the National Assembly on the bill for ratification of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of Accession of the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

The National Assembly will vote today on the Protocol on the accession of northern Macedonia to NATO. This will happen in the presence of the chairman of the Northern Macedonian Parliament, Talat Xhaferi.

The fourth meeting of the Joint Multidisciplinary Commission of Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria on Historical and Educational Issues will be held today and tomorrow in Skopje, reported the Bulgarian National Television.

The speaker of Macedonia's parliament on Friday set April 21 as the date for presidential elections, reported Reuters. 

"I'm convinced that all involved in the electoral process will give their contribution so the elections can be conducted in a fair and democratic atmosphere," Talat Xhaferi said after announcing the date.

Former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias has filed a lawsuit in the Greek Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) with weighty charges against former defence minister Panos Kammenos.

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. 

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.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras suggested he will proceed with a mini government reshuffle in the coming days to fill up the positions of deputy ministers who are expected to, or have already resigned, based on remarks he made at a meeting of ruling SYRIZA's political secretariat on Thursday.

The announcement may be made on Friday.