Jonah Patel
The Republic of North Macedonia, previously known as the Republic of Macedonia, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 following the breakup of Yugoslavia. However, due to a naming dispute with Greece, international recognition of the country under its chosen name was delayed. As of January 2017, 134 foreign nations had recognized the country as the Republic of Macedonia, including major powers such as the United States, Russia, and China. The dispute was resolved in 2018 with the signing of the Prespa Agreement, which resulted in the country officially changing its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in February 2019. Despite the official name change, many citizens and local media outlets continue to refer to the country as Macedonia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of name change | 12 February 2019 |
| Previous name | Macedonia, officially the Republic of Macedonia |
| Current name | North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia |
| Reason for name change | To resolve a dispute with Greece |
| Number of recognising countries in 2007 | 118 |
| Number of recognising countries in 2017 | 134 |
| Countries recognising Macedonia under its constitutional name (as of 2017) | United States, Russia, China, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Belarus, Lithuania, and Mexico (which later withdrew recognition) |
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What You'll Learn
The US recognised Macedonia in 1994
Macedonia, or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRM), achieved independence in 1991 after the peaceful breakup of Yugoslavia. Recognition by the international community was delayed due to Greece's objection to the use of the name "Macedonia". Greece objected because some ethnic Greeks identify as Macedonians, unrelated to the Slavic people of Macedonia. Greece accused the newly independent republic of appropriating historically Greek symbols and figures, such as Vergina Sun and Alexander the Great, and promoting the irredentist concept of a United Macedonia, which would include territories of Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, and Serbia.
The United States recognised the FYRM in 1994 under a provisional designation and announced its intent to establish full diplomatic relations. The US began referring to the country by its constitutional name, the Republic of Macedonia, in 2004. The US and Macedonia (now known as North Macedonia) have since enjoyed a cooperative relationship across a broad range of political, economic, cultural, military, and social issues. The US supported North Macedonia's efforts to join NATO, which it achieved in 2020, and the country is now an official candidate for the European Union.
The US has also provided assistance to North Macedonia to strengthen its resilience and support its continued development towards full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. North Macedonia has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 2003 and has free trade agreements with many of its neighbours. In 2021, total trade between North Macedonia and the United States was $306 million, a 6.9% increase over 2020. US electrical machinery and equipment are particularly attractive to North Macedonian importers, while the country primarily exports tobacco, apparel, iron, and steel to the US.
The United States and North Macedonia also share membership in several international organisations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Adriatic Charter, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. North Macedonia will chair the OSCE in 2023.
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Greece's objection to the name
Greece objected to its northern neighbour calling itself the "Republic of Macedonia" after Macedonia gained independence in 1991. This objection was due to the existence of a region in Greece with the same name, which incorporates most of the territories of ancient Macedon, a Greek kingdom ruled by Alexander the Great and his father, Philip II. The kingdom of the Macedonians covered an area corresponding roughly to the administrative regions of Western and Central Macedonia in modern Greece. The name Macedonia was later applied to various administrative areas in the Roman and Byzantine empires, and it disappeared as an administrative designation for several centuries after the Ottoman conquest of southeastern Europe in the late 14th century.
The objection is also a result of regional identity and a matter of heritage for northern Greeks. This sense of identity was highlighted by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, who declared, "I myself am a Macedonian, and another two and a half million Greeks are Macedonians". Greece's objection to the name "Macedonia" was further fuelled by suspicions of territorial ambitions, particularly as the new state of Macedonia named its main airport in the capital, Skopje, after the Ancient Greek hero Alexander the Great, as well as a key motorway running from the Serbian to the Greek border. Greece argued that Macedonia is an intrinsic part of Hellenic heritage, with ancient capitals and historical sites located in the modern Greek region of Macedonia.
The naming dispute lasted for 27 years, during which Greece vetoed Macedonia's bid to join NATO and the European Union. It was only resolved in 2018 when the Prespa Accord was signed, leading to Macedonia's name change to the Republic of North Macedonia in February 2019. The new name was approved by the Macedonian people in a referendum and ratified by the Greek parliament, despite polls suggesting up to two-thirds of Greeks were unhappy with the deal. The resolution included an agreement to review the status of public buildings or monuments in Macedonia that refer to ancient Greek history, and to refrain from irredentism and revisionism, addressing Greek fears of territorial claims.
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The Prespa Agreement
Macedonia achieved independence in 1991 following the peaceful breakup of Yugoslavia. Recognition was delayed due to Greece's objection to the use of the name "Macedonia", and the country was initially recognized as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This provisional designation was used by international organizations until the Prespa Agreement was reached in 2018.
Under the agreement, the Republic of Macedonia agreed to change its constitutional name to the Republic of North Macedonia, to be used domestically, in all bilateral relations, and in all regional and international organizations and institutions (erga omnes). This new name was intended to distinguish the country from the neighboring Greek region of Macedonia and to address Greek concerns over potential territorial claims implied by the use of the name "Macedonia".
In addition to resolving the naming dispute, the Prespa Agreement also covered areas of cooperation between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia, with the aim of establishing a strategic partnership. The agreement was met with a largely hostile domestic reaction in both countries, with some political parties and nationalist groups opposing it. However, the international community, including the European Union, reacted positively, with media outlets dubbing it a "historic" agreement.
As a result of the Prespa Agreement, the United States, which had recognized the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 1994, began referring to it by its new constitutional name, the Republic of North Macedonia, in line with the agreement's provisions.
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Macedonia's accession to NATO
The Republic of Macedonia joined the Partnership for Peace in 1995 and commenced its Membership Action Plan in 1999. However, its bid to join NATO was vetoed by Greece in 2008 due to a dispute over Macedonia's constitutional name, which Greece felt implied territorial aspirations against its own region of the same name. Macedonia sued Greece in the International Court of Justice, citing their 1995 interim accord that allowed Macedonia to join international organizations under the name "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". The ICJ ruled in December 2011 that Greece was wrong to have blocked Macedonia's bid.
In 2014, NATO announced that it would not be offering any new countries membership that year, with some analysts arguing that this was partly due to the new security climate after Russia's annexation of Crimea. In March 2016, Macedonian Defense Minister Zoran Jolevski stated his hope that his country's handling of the 2015 European migrant crisis might bring it closer to NATO membership. On 12 June 2017, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev signaled he would consider alternative names for the country to strike a compromise with Greece.
The naming dispute was resolved in June 2018 with the Prespa Agreement, under which the country adopted the name North Macedonia, supported by a referendum in September 2018. On 11 July 2018, NATO invited the republic to begin membership talks, saying the country could join the organization once the naming agreement had been implemented. Formal accession talks began on 18 October 2018. On 6 February 2019, the permanent representatives to NATO of the member states signed a protocol on the accession of North Macedonia to NATO, with Greece becoming the first country to ratify the protocol.
North Macedonia became a full member of NATO on 27 March 2020 when the instrument for its accession to the Washington Treaty was formally deposited with the US State Department. North Macedonia's cooperation with NATO as a partner has been mutually beneficial, including its participation in joint planning, training, and military exercises. The country has also provided valuable support to NATO-led operations and missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo.
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The EU accession path
The Republic of North Macedonia, previously known as the Republic of Macedonia, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 following the breakup of Yugoslavia. However, its recognition as the "Republic of Macedonia" was delayed due to Greece's objection to its name. As a result, it was initially referred to as the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" by many countries and international organisations.
The path towards EU accession for North Macedonia has been a long and complex process, marked by several challenges and setbacks. Here is a detailed breakdown of the country's journey:
2017: According to statements by the Macedonian government, 134 foreign nations recognised the country as the "Republic of Macedonia" as of January 2017. This recognition is important as it establishes the country's identity and sovereignty, which are prerequisites for joining the EU.
June 2018: The Prespa Agreement was signed, resolving the decades-long naming dispute with Greece. The agreement led to a name change from the "Republic of Macedonia" to the "Republic of North Macedonia." This resolution removed a significant obstacle in the country's EU accession path.
July 2018: The withdrawal of the Greek veto and the signing of a friendship agreement with Bulgaria paved the way for the EU to approve the start of accession talks. This decision was made under the condition that the Prespa deal was implemented.
October 2018: The Macedonian parliament ratified the Prespa agreement, taking a significant step towards fulfilling the conditions set by the EU for the start of accession talks.
February 2019: The constitutional amendments officially renaming the country to the "Republic of North Macedonia" came into force. This marked a crucial milestone in the country's EU accession journey as it resolved the naming dispute with Greece.
March 2020: The leaders of the European Union formally gave approval for North Macedonia to begin talks to join the EU. This decision indicated the EU's recognition of the country's progress in meeting the conditions set out for accession talks.
November 2020: Bulgaria blocked the official start of accession talks, citing North Macedonia's non-implementation of the 2017 friendship treaty, state-supported hate speech, and minority claims as reasons. This setback highlighted the complex dynamics and challenges faced in the EU accession process.
July 2022: Protests broke out over the French proposal for the accession of North Macedonia to the EU. Despite opposition, the Assembly of North Macedonia passed the proposal, officially beginning the country's EU accession talks.
September 2024: The EU announced the separation of Albania from North Macedonia on the EU accession path due to disputes between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. This development indicated that while North Macedonia had made significant progress, ongoing disputes continued to impact its path towards EU membership.
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Frequently asked questions
The constitutional name of Macedonia is the "Republic of Macedonia".
As of January 2017, 134 foreign nations recognized the country under its constitutional name.
Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Belarus, Lithuania, and China recognized Macedonia under its constitutional name from the start.
Yes, the United States recognized Macedonia under its constitutional name in 2004.
Recognition under Macedonia's constitutional name was important because it impacted the country's ability to join international organizations and initiatives, such as NATO and the European Union.
