The government in Skopje announced late on Tuesday that the Prespa Agreement, which changes the name of the country to North Macedonia, came into effect as of February 12.
Earlier on Tuesday, Athens formally notified Skopje that the Hellenic Parliament has completed the procedures for the ratification of the Agreement and the NATO accession protocol as well.
Skopje also announced that the four amendments to the constitution passed by the country’s parliament on January 11 have come into effect.
Both decisions have been published in the Government Gazette, which for all practical purposes changes the name of the country to the “Republic of North Macedonia.”
The announcement was posted on the government’s official website (www.vlada.mk), where the country’s logo has been changed to “Republic of North Macedonia – Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.”
A series of practical adjustments – ranging from new road signs to updated passports and currency — will be made gradually.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said his country would press ahead with all the changes needed to fulfill its end of the historic deal he reached with the prime minister of Greece last year.
“At the end of the day we must show that we are implementing our part of the obligations,” he said. “I believe that all institutions are ready to act.”
Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov posted a message on his Twitter account, announcing the implementation of the agreement.
“We have just exchanged the final note verbale: Prespa Agreement enters into force! May today be the beginning of a long friendship between Greece and North Macedonia. We can’t change our past, but we can and we will shape our future of friendship, partnership and cooperation,” Dimitrov tweeted.
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