Welcome to the world North Macedonia
The Saint Mary’s Church in New Farm serves as a gathering place for local Macedonian’s. Here in Brisbane the expats call themselves Macedonian’s. PICTURE / Daneka Hill
Today members of Brisbane’s Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia community stepped out as newly minted North Macedonian’s.
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras say the republic’s name for both domestic and international purposes will be the Republic of North Macedonia.
The name of the country bordering Greece has been subjected to a 23-year-long row.
North Macedonian’s wanted to call their country Macedonia, but Greece strongly opposed this to avoid any claim or confusion with their northern province – Macedonia.
Translated from Greek, Prime Minster Tsipras said at the announcement of the deal: "In the agreement that we reached, it is given for the first time, that our northern neighbours have nothing to do with the ancient Greek civilization of Macedonia and cannot claim any connection to it in the future."
The issue is a massively controversial one for the neighbours, large protests against the ‘compromise’ have threatened to split Greece’s governing coalition and a rift has formed between Macedonia’s Prime Minister and their President.
The main opposition parties in both countries have rejected the agreement.
"I do not agree (with the use of the term Macedonia), the name should be plain, without 'Macedonia', they can use any other name the like, Skopje,” said a Greek woman in Central Athens Square.
"Macedonia is Greek, it has nothing to do with the citizens of Skopje. They came here in the 6th century, they don't have anything to do with Macedonia, I am sorry,” another Greek resident told media.
The naming conflict has barred the younger and smaller country from entering international institutions such as NATO.
The 140 countries who recognised the ‘Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia’ as ‘Macedonia’ will now recognise it as the ‘Republic of North Macedonia’ said Prime Minister Tsipras.
Upon the deal being ratified Greece will back invitations for North Macedonia to join NATO and the EU, however if the change fails to be solidified in the country’s constitution Tsipras says the invite to join NATO will be “automatically” cancelled and the “entry negotiations with the European Union will not begin.”
To solidify the change, a deal will be signed this weekend.
Prime Minster Zaev says a voter referendum will follow later in the year.