With a qualified two-thirds majority – 80 out of a total of 120 MPs – parliament in Skopje voted the amendments to the constitution that will allow the country to change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia.
The name change, put down in writing in the Prespa Agreement with Greece in June this year, should be given the official start to within two weeks. Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva stated that the decision by the parliament in Skopje opens the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration for Macedonia, gives all citizens of the region the chance to prosper, and that Bulgaria will continue to be the most sincere and close friend in this process.
In a message of congratulations to his counterpart Zoran Zaev, the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras points out that the decision by the parliament of Macedonia is “a big step towards our common success” and “a very important step to a peaceful and prosperous future for our people.”
“Happy birthday to the Republic of North Macedonia,” wrote Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama in Twitter.
The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi wrote on Twitter: "Congratulations to government and people of Macedonia for huge leap forward in NATO and EU integration with the parliamentary vote. Kosovo and the region will be safer and more prosperous with Skopje and Athens paving the way forward."
On behalf of the EU, European enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn wrote: “I congratulate all those who decided to walk on along the EU path. I expect that the free choice of all MPs is fully respected, especially of those who crossed the aisle tonight.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the vote by the parliament in Skopje on the proposed constitutional changes. “It's up to the government and political leaders to complete national procedures on the name agreement and seize this historic opportunity to bring the country into NATO,” he wrote.
The US platform for stock trading Robinhood, founded by the Bulgarian entrepreneur Vladimir Tenev and his partner Baiju Bhatt of Indian descent has launched margin trading in the United Kingdom , the company reported, cited by CNBC and BTA. The launch..
At a meeting with Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov, the representatives of the "Angels on the Road" association, uniting parents of children who lost their lives in road accidents caused by drunk and drugged drivers, have demanded heavier and faster..
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has presented the national flag to the participants in the 33rd Bulgarian expedition to Antarctica . At the ceremony in the presidency, the head of Bulgaria's polar explorers, Prof. Hristo Pimpirev , accepted the flag...
Caretaker Minister of the Environment and Water, Petar Dimitrov, says he does not think there was a problem in the location of the air..
A Bulgarian siphoned 2.2 million pounds from the money of British taxpayers, the "Sunday Telegraph" reports. The scheme involved flying..
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg arrived in Sofia by train, eyewitnesses report on social media. Thunberg was spotted walking along Sofia’s..
+359 2 9336 661