Republic of Macedonia

A woman walks between a Greek border landmark and a new signpost for North Macedonia at the Evzones border crossing on Wednesday. After the ratification of the Prespes deal and a NATO accession protocol, authorities in the Balkan country are now formally implementing the name change, and will be adjusting road signs, passports and car license plates over the coming months.

With the Prespa Agreement having come into effect, the Republic of North Macedonia is busy changing signs and markers in the beginning of a transition to use the country's new constitutional name domestically.

The new name has been placed on official websites and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov welcomed the change as the start of a new era in relations between Athens and Skopje.

North Macedonia's defense minister, Radmila Sekerinska, says she's filled with pride as her country takes a seat at NATO's table for the first time.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday at a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Sekerinska said North Macedonia has "shown that change is possible if you have the right amount of political leadership."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his counterpart Zoran Zaev of North Macedonia have been selected to receive the prestigious Ewald von Kleist award in recognition of their efforts to resolve the decades-old name dispute between Athens and Skopje.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his North Macedonia counterpart Zoran Zaev have been officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, state-run Athens-Macedonian news agency has reported.

Enter North Macedonia.

The small Balkan country of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name Tuesday by adding a geographic designation that ends a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece and secures its entry into NATO.

Members of an honor guard hoist the NATO flag next to that of the newly named North Macedonia in front of the government building in Skopje Tuesday.

The name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has entered its final phase. After the negotiations between Athens and Skopje, the drafting and signing of the Prespes accord, and the deal's ratification by lawmakers in both countries, it's now time to focus on its implementation.

Peace and security in Europe depends on achieving stability in the Western Balkans, Charles Ries, who served as US ambassador to Greece from 2004 to 2007 and principal deputy assistant secretary of state for European affairs from 2000 to 2004, has told Kathimerini in an interview.

North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Tuesday that the Balkan country had turned "a new page" in being accepted into the NATO security alliance under its new name.