The Prespa Agreement Renames North Macedonia
Greece had objected since 1991 to the use of 'Macedonia' by the former Yugoslav republic, arguing it implied a claim on the Greek province of the same name and appropriated Hellenic heritage. The state was admitted to the UN in 1993 only under the provisional designation 'the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia', and Greece blocked its NATO accession in 2008 despite an interim accord that arguably prohibited doing so. The 2018 agreement, negotiated by Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev, changed the country's name in all uses, affirmed that its language is Macedonian and its people North Macedonians, and stated that neither party claims any relation to the ancient Hellenic civilisation on the other's account. Both leaders paid a domestic price: a Macedonian referendum drew turnout below the validity threshold and the change passed through parliament instead, while Tsipras faced a confidence vote and lost the following election. North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020.
- Year: 2018 CE
- Category: Diplomatic
