Greece, Macedonia sign historic deal to end name dispute

ATHENS -- Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) sealed a historic agreement on Sunday, putting an end to the dispute which started in 1991 over the use of the name Macedonia.

According to the preliminary accord signed by the two countries' foreign ministers, they agreed to rename the Balkan nation "The Republic of North Macedonia," despite strong protests over a deal from both sides.

The signing ceremony, broadcast live on Greek public broadcaster ERT, was hosted on the border at Prespes lake.

The move of the two neighboring states potentially paved the way for Skopje's admission to the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization.