Macedonia and Greece: Vote settles 27-year name row
AFP
Greek MPs have voted narrowly to back a historic agreement with Macedonia, bringing to an end a 27-year dispute over its northern neighbour's name.
Parliament in Athens agreed by 153 votes to 146 to approve the name Republic of North Macedonia, despite widespread opposition from the public.
Thousands demonstrated outside parliament on Thursday night.
Greece has rejected Macedonia's name since its independence in 1991 as it has a region of the same name.
Opposition to the deal is strongest in the northern Greek region of Macedonia, but polls suggest more than 60% of Greeks dislike it.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who brokered the deal, has celebrated the vote as a "historic day".
"Today we write a new page for the Balkans. The hatred of nationalism, dispute and conflict will be replaced by friendship, peace and co-operation," he posted on social media.
Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov tweeted that "courage and hope defeated fear".
REUTERS
The debate in the chamber lasted more than 38 hours, and more than 200 MPs spoke.
Members of the far-right Golden Dawn party shouted "Traitors!" at points during the vote.
Why is the deal so divisive?
The row has run deep in both countries since Macedonia became a new nation after the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991.
The Macedonia region in Greece includes its second city Thessaloniki. Many Greeks were enraged by the country's original name - fearing their neighbours had territorial ambitions.
The dispute also has cultural dimensions because the Greek region, which includes the birthplace of Alexander the Great, is considered an intrinsic part of Greek heritage.
Attempts to resolve the matter have failed for decades.
The row has undermined Macedonia's international ambitions as Greece has long vowed to veto its accession to Nato and the European Union.
Fury inside and out
Analysis by Mark Lowen, BBC News, Athens
The angry scenes in parliament have echoed the fury outside: as one MP spoke of the death threats she'd received in supporting the Macedonia bill and another shouted "no to treason" while he voted, protesters on the steps of parliament screamed "traitors!".
In the past week, police have fired tear gas here as tens of thousands have demonstrated under the Greek flag, deploring what they saw as their government's capitulation to pressure from Nato and the EU.
While outsiders might scratch their heads at the apparent absurdity of this row, Greeks are fiercely attached to their history.
"We've lost everything in the financial crisis - now we're losing our dignity" is a familiar refrain from those protesting.
The right-wing opposition leader, ahead in the polls, says he'll still veto North Macedonia's EU accession when it comes to it - though by the time the small Balkan country is ready to join, passions may have calmed and Greeks will no doubt have other nationalist fish to fry.
What is in the deal?
The deal to solve the long-running dispute was signed last June by the two countries' prime ministers at Lake Prespa, which has shores in Greece, Macedonia and Albania.
It means that Macedonia, which is formally called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (or Fyrom) at the United Nations, will now become the Republic of North Macedonia, or North Macedonia in short.
Macedonia has already ratified the agreement.
AFP
Aside from the name change, the deal also carries assurances about Greece's fears of cultural appropriation and incitement from its neighbour.
The historic agreement by Mr Tsipras and his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev has earned them both nominations for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr Tsipras lost his coalition government partner and had to survive a no-confidence vote in the run-up to the vote.
He had to rely on independent and opposition lawmakers to help him get the deal through parliament on Friday.
Some MPs had faced death threats in the run up to the vote.
What will happen now?
The next step will be for Greece to inform its neighbour and then for Macedonia to tell the United Nations.
Friday's vote clears the way for the former Yugoslav republic's accession to Nato, and Nato ambassadors will convene in the coming days to sign a protocol.
The deal only becomes final once the Nato accession protocol is ratified in Athens.
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