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Macedonians will vote Sunday on the opportunity to rename their country, North Macedonia, to resolve the dispute with Greece and pave the way for NATO membership. and the European Union.
Macedonia has been fighting for recognition of its name since its birth in 1991, the year of independence of the landlocked country from Yugoslavia.
Athens immediately protested, accusing Skopje of stealing the name of its own northern province, also called Macedonia.
The dispute dates back nearly three decades, with the two countries claiming to have ties to the former Macedonian empire, Alexander the Great, which covered the territories.
A grandiose "antiquing" project under the former Macedonian government, which covered Skopje with neo-classical facades and statues of Alexander the Great was fueling the fire.
But in June, the new Macedonian Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev, and his Greek counterpart, Alexis Tsipras, reached an historic compromise under which Greece would abandon its objections to Macedonia's accession to the Union. European Union and NATO in exchange for the change of name.
On Sunday, the country will vote to accept or reject the agreement with the opening of polling stations at 05:00 GMT.
Some feel that it is embarrassing to change names at the request of another country.
But a desire to anchor their future to the West – and the economic prosperity that could ensue from it – is a powerful motivation for accepting agreement in one of the poorest countries in the world. 39; Europe.
"We can not really say that it's fair, but the EU and NATO matter more for all of us, so let's go ahead," said Abedin Memeti, 28. , before the vote.
– Boycott –
The referendum is not binding, but a majority of "yes" would give parliament a political mandate to amend the constitution.
If the agreement is passed by referendum and is ratified by two thirds of the deputies, the Greek parliament will be called upon to give its final approval.
While the Macedonian government plans to pass any significant majority in favor of the agreement as a success, the right-wing opposition may question the credibility of the vote if the turnout is less than 50%.
Some critics of the name have called for a boycott, including President Gjorge Ivanov, who is allied with the nationalist opposition.
Mass emigration in recent decades could also affect the workforce, nearly a quarter of the estimated 2.1 million inhabitants living abroad.
Fewer than 3,000 of those abroad have registered to vote.
– The Western Balkans are gaining foothold –
Europe and the United States campaigned for the deal, with many leaders going through Skopje to urge Macedonians to accept this "historic" opportunity.
NATO has already issued an invitation, suspended until the conclusion of the agreement, while the EU accession negotiations are expected to start next year.
The West is keen to gain a foothold in the Western Balkans, a region where Russia, opposed to the expansion of NATO, has always had an influence.
In their country, supporters of the agreement believe that the desire for a European future helps to bind Macedonians to the Albanian minority, which is broadly pro-Western.
While Macedonia avoided the large-scale interethnic wars that had rocked the region during the collapse of Yugoslavia, an Albanian insurgency in 2001 had prevailed, killing more than 100 people.
A peace agreement was reached later this year, giving Albanians more political rights, but tensions remain.
"It's the first time I see Macedonians and Albanians campaigning together for common goals," AFP Besa Arifi, a law professor, told AFP.
"This will give us more opportunities to unite all citizens around shared values," he added.
Macedonia, whose national flag is shown on the left, has struggled for the recognition of its name since its birth in 1991
On Sunday, the nation will vote to accept or reject the name change agreement
Some critics of the deal on the name have called for a boycott, including President Gjorge Ivanov, who is allied with the nationalist opposition
The referendum is not binding, but a "yes" majority would give parliament a political mandate to amend the constitution.
