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NATO calls on Macedonia to start accession negotiations
The leaders of the Atlantic alliance met in Brussels at the summit that began on Wednesday. Until then, Athens vetoed the integration of the former Yugoslav Republic into NATO and the European Union, but the agreement reached between the two countries on the name of that state, which must to be called "Republic of North Macedonia", changes the game.
"We welcomed the historic agreement reached last month between Athens and Skopje," said Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, "and we have agreed today to invite the government of Skopje to start accession talks."
A referendum on the agreement with Athens is planned in Macedonia in the autumn. However, the result of the consultation remains uncertain, because the opposition nationalist right in Macedonia, hostile to any compromise with Athens, should call to vote "no" in the referendum.
In case of a positive result in the referendum, a constitutional amendment will still have to be validated by Parliament, but by a two-thirds majority
NATO membership will have to be unanimously approved by the 29 member states. The European Union believes that accession negotiations should not begin until next June.
Since the independence of Skopje in 1991, Greece has opposed the country's name being Macedonia, discerning territorial aims on its northern province of the same name, cradle of the empire of Alexander the Great.
– With AFP –
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