Greece approves protocol for Macedonia to join NATO

By Furkan Naci Top

ATHENS

Greece’s parliament approved for Macedonia to join NATO after ending a 28-year name dispute.

The measure was accepted by a 153-140 vote.

Ruling Syriza and Potami parties backed the vote while main opposition New Democracy (ND) party and Independent Greeks (ANEL) voted against the protocol.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told lawmakers they fulfilled their patriotic duty against all threats and thanked members of the parliament.

Opposition ND party leader Kyriakos claimed the Greek nation is against the decision and the approving of the protocol is a “national defeat.”

Last week, parliament ratified a historic deal to end the dispute about Macedonia’s name, paving the way for the Balkan country to join NATO and the EU.

Under the deal, Macedonia will be renamed “the Republic of North Macedonia” and Greece will drop objections to the country joining the EU and NATO.

The name issue has kept Macedonia from joining the EU and NATO since its independence in 1991.

NATO invited Macedonia to begin accession talks to join the alliance at a summit in Brussels last July.