The new name of the country, “Republic of North Macedonia” will be officially in use from February 15. Government spokesman Mile Bosnjakovski confirmed for “Meta” that the decisions arising from the Prespa Agreement will come into force 7 days after Greece ratifies Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol, and Greece is likely to ratify the protocol on February 8.
“In a symbolic gesture, the Greek government is likely to be the first country to ratify the North Atlantic Treaty Accession Protocol in NATO, as it aims to do it by February 8, say sources close to the topic,” Euractive wrote yesterday.
At yesterday’s session, the Government established an inter-ministerial body for the implementation of the obligations of the Prespa Agreement.
“The decisions related to the implementation of the provisions of the Prespa Agreement envisage a set of measures and activities to be undertaken by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, as well as all other state administration bodies and all state institutions, arising from the adopted amendments to the Constitution of the Republic Macedonia, which will come into force 7 days after the ratification of the Protocol for the accession of our country to NATO by the Hellenic Republic, and which regulate the use of the new constitutional name in accordance with the amendments,” the government said.
According to the Government, changes will have to be made to the tables at border crossings, diplomatic and consular offices and at the entrances of all state institutions, public enterprises and state-owned enterprises by the foreseen deadline.
“Of course, this will not happen overnight, but it will be implemented within the stipulated deadline,” explains Bosnjakovski.
The Government will recommend the same procedure to the units of local self-government, while the sectors and public relations services of the state and public institutions “will receive guidelines for using the constitutional name in accordance with the adopted amendments.”
The five-year deadline begins from February 8, i.e. from the Greek ratification of the NATO Accession Protocol, for the entry of “North Macedonia” in all official documents, including passports and ID cards. Documents with the new name, according to the Prespa Agreement, will be issued after the regular expiration date, but no later than five years after the agreement comes into force.
