Last month, at an EU summit in Bulgaria, Zaev and Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras discussed a resolution, and the two spoke twice on the phone this week before announcing the deal. Significantly, they agreed that the new name would be used both internationally and bilaterally, so that even the 140 or more countries that recognise the name Macedonia will also have to adopt North Macedonia. The name dispute has poisoned relations between the two countries since Macedonia’s independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and has prevented FYR Macedonia from joining international institutions such as NATO and the European Union. If the deal goes through — and the countries still could put it to parliamentary votes or referendums — Macedonia will formally change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia and Greece will drop its opposition to the small Balkan nation joining NATO and the European Union. Image copyright Getty/Reuters Image caption Protests have been held in both Greece and Macedonia against a compromise on the name of the former Yugoslav republic

Greece has reached a deal on the name of its northern neighbour, which called itself Macedonia at the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.
Greece and the Republic of Macedonia reach a deal to end a 27-year naming dispute between both countries, which would result in Macedonia being officially renamed the Republic of North Macedonia.