Europe

Greece's Parliament Approves Macedonia Name Change

On Friday, lawmakers voted 153-146 to approve the deal, which will change Macedonia's name to the Republic of North Macedonia.

Greece's Parliament Approves Macedonia Name Change
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After an almost three-decade long standoff, Greece's parliament has given the green light to an agreement to rename Macedonia.

On Friday, lawmakers voted 153-146 to approve the deal, which will change Macedonia's name to the Republic of North Macedonia. In exchange, Greece will stop blocking Macedonia's attempts to join NATO and the European Union.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Twitter after the vote, "Today marks a historical day. Greece safeguards an important part of its history, the heritage of Ancient Greek Macedonia."

The fight started after Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. There's a territory in northern Greece with the same name, and some Greeks feel that the newly formed country was appropriating some traditional Greek symbols and figures.

In order to officially seal the deal, the two countries must complete some procedural steps, like informing the United Nations of the decision.