Greece, Macedonia sign pact to change ex-Yugoslav republic’s name

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev speak before the signing of an accord to settle a long dispute over the former Yugoslav republic’s name in the village of Psarades, in Prespes, Greece

The foreign ministers of Greece and Macedonia signed an accord on Sunday to rename the former Yugoslav republic as the Republic of North Macedonia.


The accord, signed on lake Prespa in northern Greece bordering Macedonia and Albania, hopes to settle nearly three decades of talks between the two over the young Balkan state’s names. It still needs to be approved by both parliaments and in Macedonia by a referendum.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece and Zoran Zaev of Macedonia witnessed the signing of the deal by their foreign ministers at a lakeside community in Prespes.

Zaev arrived by speedboat, received by Tsipras on the Greek side of the lake, where they warmly embraced.