Macedonia keeps its name

The agreement to rename the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was blocked by the President Gjorge Ivanov. He refused to put his signature on the document that Prime Minister Zoran Zaev agreed with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras. FYR Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov made a relevant statement: “My decision is final, I will not succumb to any pressure, blackmailing or threats. The text of this treaty is a defeat for the Republic of Macedonia. It envisages not only a change in the constitutional name, but also amendments to the preamble and all articles of the Constitution, where there are concepts and names deriving from the name ‘Macedonia’. Tsipras and Zaev agreed to rename Macedonia as Northern Macedonia: in Athens they believe that only the Greek region has the right to have the historical name. Source: Euronews