The tiny Balkan country will join the world's biggest military alliance under the name of Republic of North Macedonia, possibly late this year or in early 2020.
Macedonian deputies voted to change the country's name to "the Republic of North Macedonia". Eighty-one lawmakers present voted in favour of the constitutional amendments.
In June Greece and Macedonia signed a deal on a new name: "Republic of North Macedonia."But President Gjorge Ivanov refused to sign the agreement, saying it violated the constitution.
Djorge Ivanov said Macedonia's possible future membership of the EU and NATO was not sufficient excuse to sign such a "bad agreement" with Greece under which the new name of his country would become Republic of North Macedonia.
Announcing the agreement reached with neighbouring Greece over the change of name, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said resolving the long-standing issue would open his country's access to NATO and the European Union.
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