SKOPJE (Macedonia), October 19 (SeeNews) – EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said on Friday Macedonian lawmakers need to put party interests behind and approve the name deal with Greece to open the way for their country to join NATO and the EU.
“I am confident that lawmakers of all political forces are aware of the huge opportunity and responsibility they are facing today. This is the time to put party interests behind and act in the interest of the country and its people,” Hahn said in a Twitter post.
“These are decisive days for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. MPs will vote on the historic Prespa agreement which opens the door to the country's Euro-Atlantic integration. It is a vote about the future of the country and positive perspectives for its people,” he added.
On Monday, the parliament in Skopje opened a debate on amendments to the constitution that would put into force a deal with neighbouring Greece to change Macedonia's name. The debate is ongoing, with a vote expected later this month.
Ahead of the opening of the debate, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev noted that Macedonia’s future now lies into the hands of each and every member of the assembly, news agency MIA reported.
Zaev earlier said that he would call early general election, if the parliament fails to approve changes the constitution and thus endorse the agreement with Greece to rename the former Yugoslav republic to North Macedonia.
A two-thirds majority in the 120-seat parliament is needed to push through the constitutional amendments. Zaev's Social Democrat-led coalition government would need support from opposition lawmakers from conservative VMRO-DPMNE party to muster the necessary majority.
The parliament debate comes after a consultative referendum on the name deal with Greece held on September 30 fell short of the 50% turnout needed for the vote to be valid. The vote was largely boycotted by Macedonia's opposition parties and the country's president but those who voted overwhelmingly supported the agreement with Greece.
"Now you have to decide whether we gain a lot or we lose a lot," MIA quoted Zaev as saying to lawmakers.
Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the President of the EU Donald Tusk encouraged Macedonian politicians to approve the name deal with Greece to open the way for their country to join the trans-Atlantic and European community.
The name deal was signed on June 17 by the foreign ministers of Macedonia and Greece to put an end to a dispute that has blocked Macedonia's accession to the NATO and EU.
Macedonia began two days of formal accession talks at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, marking an important step on its road towards NATO membership.
Athens has blocked Macedonia’s attempts to join NATO and the EU for 27 years over the country's name. According to Greece, the current name Republic of Macedonia implies territorial clams on the Greek northernmost province of the same name.