New Name for Macedonia: Deal would change Balkan country's name to Republic of North Macedonia

World
Europe

02:16

Greece and Macedonia have signed a historic agreement that aims to put an end to a decades-old name dispute between the two countries. Under the deal, the former Yugoslav republic would be named Republic of North Macedonia. CGTN's Filio Kontrafouri has more from Lake Prespa in Greece, where the agreement was signed amid violent protests.

It's an agreement that was in the making for 27 years. And it's the moment Greece and its northern neighbor Macedonia are taking as a major step toward ending their dispute. The two countries' prime ministers watched as their foreign ministers signed the agreement.

ALEXIS TSIPRAS GREEK PRIME MINISTER "We are here today, staring at the history of our nations. We are here -- both of us -- to fulfill our patriotic duty."

ZORAN ZAEV MACEDONIAN PRIME MINISTER "Today, we are putting an end to a problem. We are putting an end to long-lasting differences that raised walls between us and harmed our friendly relations. Three decades of uncertainty, three decades for which we worry about the lasting impact."

Dignitaries from Europe and the U.N. attended the ceremony as this agreement will pave the way for Greece's neighbor to join the EU and NATO. Afterwards, the two prime ministers and their delegations left Greece on a boat and headed to the other side to celebrate over lunch.

FILIO KONTRAFOURI LAKE PRESPA "Lake Prespa has been a symbolic choice for Sunday's signing ceremony. The Greek government hopes this lake, that's shared between the two countries, will become a symbol of unity and that the agreement itself will pave the way for a new and peaceful era between the two Balkan neighbors."

Even as calm returns to this quiet corner of Greece, the hard part begins. There is strong opposition from political parties in both countries to the agreement which still needs to be ratified by their parliaments That could be a long process and turn out just as bumpy as the one which led to Sunday's accord. Filio Kontrafouri, CGTN, Lake Prespa, Greece.