Macedonian name change

SKOPJE: The Macedonian government said yesterday it had officially informed the United Nations of the country’s new name following its historic agreement with neighboring Greece. Skopje and Athens buried a 27-year dispute in agreeing in June last year to rename Macedonia as North Macedonia. The new name came into force on Tuesday after constitutional changes were published in the Official Gazette and Skopje’s foreign ministry said both countries had informed the UN by letter that the change is now in force. Skopje is already using the new full name - Republic of North Macedonia - on its official website and Twitter page while the authorities were due later to change border signs. Since 1991, Athens had objected to its neighbor being called Macedonia because Greece has a northern province of the same name. — AFP