Macedonia agrees to change its name to end 27-year row with Greece

ZORAN ZAEV, the Macedonian prime minister, hailed a “historic solution” yesterday after Skopje and Athens resolved a long-standing row by agreeing to rename his country the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

The 27-year dispute has led to frequent disagreement and protests, but the two countries agreed on the new title of the former Yugoslav republic after months of intensive diplomacy.

“There is an agreement. We have a historic solution after two and a half decades. Our agreement includes Republic of Northern Macedonia for overall use,” Zaev told reporters in Skopje. Greece has long objected to its northern neighbour being called Macedonia because it has its own northern province of the same name.

Alexis Tsipras, the Greek prime minister, also declared a deal had been struck. “We have reached an accord, a good accord that covers all the conditions set by Greece,” said Mr Tsipras. Macedonia hopes that resolving the name dispute will help clear the way for it to join the EU and Nato. Donald Tusk, the European Council president, wrote on Twitter: “Thanks to you the impossible is becoming possible. I am keeping my fingers crossed.”

The deal still needs to be approved by the Macedonian and Greek parliaments. Athens has long objected to its neighbour’s constitutional name because it fears it could imply territorial ambitions. Ancient Macedonia was the cradle of Alexander the Great’s empire.

But under the Romans, the province of Macedonia was expanded to include territory in modern-day Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Albania.