Macedonian Parliament Approves New Name For The Country As Demanded By Greece

"Macedonia's parliament has approved changing the country's name to North Macedonia, appeasing Greece and bringing the country one step closer to membership in NATO."

"The change is the result of a dispute between Macedonia and Greece over history and national identity that has lasted 27 years."

"Eighty-one of the 120 lawmakers in Macedonia's parliament voted on Friday to approve a constitutional amendment to change the country's name, NPR's Joanna Kakissis reports from Athens. The remaining opposition lawmakers stayed away in protest, according to the Associated Press reports."

"The change won't be official until the Greek parliament approves it."

"Opponents of the deal protested outside of the Macedonian parliament on Friday, responding to the vote with calls of 'traitors,' AP reports. Conservative opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski told reporters the vote was 'an act of treason.'"

"Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev agreed to rename the country in a compromise with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipr last June. The proposed name change weathered protests from nationalists in both countries — and a referendum in Macedonia that failed to meet the turnout requirement."

"Greece and Macedonia have been locked into a dispute over the name that dates back to 1991 during the disintegration of Yugoslavia, when the Republic of Macedonia broke away."