The Greek parliament on Friday narrowly ratified the landmark deal, ending one of the world’s longest diplomatic disputes and earning rich praise for the “historic” move.
A total of 153 MPs in the 300-seat Greek parliament approved the name Republic of North Macedonia, despite widespread public opposition.
Since 1991, Athens has objected to its neighbour being called Macedonia because Greece has a northern province of the same name. In ancient times it was the cradle of Alexander the Great’s empire, a source of intense pride for Greeks.
To make the UN-sponsored agreement final, Greece must now ratify a protocol approving Macedonia’s membership of the Western military alliance Nato. This is expected to take place next month.
The man who spent 20 years as the United Nations’ mediator in a name dispute between Greece and Macedonia says the Greek parliament’s ratification of a reconciliation agreement “ushers in a new era for the consolidation of peace and security in the Balkans.”
Matthew Nimetz said the vote by lawmakers in Athens to endorse the deal also “opens the door to a new relationship” between the countries after the 27-year dispute over rights to the Macedonia name.
Under the deal that Mr Nimetz helped negotiate, Macedonia will be renamed North Macedonia in return for Greece dropping objections to its membership in Nato and, eventually, the European Union.
Macedonia’s parliament approved constitutional changes to rename the country North Macedonia on January 11.