Greek prime minist­er hails ratifi­cation of the name change by parlia­ment as 'histor­ic day'ATHENS: Greek lawmakers on Friday ratified a landmark name change deal with neighbouring Macedonia, handing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras a diplomatic triumph to end one of the world’s most stubborn diplomatic disputes, an AFP count showed. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday hailed the ratification by parliament in Athens of a landmark name change deal with Macedonia 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 cooperation,” Tsipras said on his Twitter page. Athens has promised to lift its veto on Skopje’s attempts to join NATO and the European Union if Macedonia changes its name. Last June, Tsipras reached a landmark compromise over the name dispute with his Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, with the pair nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts.

Source: The Express Tribune January 25, 2019 14:15 UTC