The Greek parliament is expected to vote Friday on the NATO accession protocol for the country of FYROM, bringing a conclusion to the decades-old dispute one step closer.
Political tensions have risen following the decision by six MPs – four independents and two Independent Greek (ANEL) lawmakers – to align themselves with SYRIZA in the forthcoming vote.
The government hopes to garner at least 151 votes in the 300-member parliament to push through FYROM’s accession to the NATO alliance and recognize the neighboring country with its new name. It will henceforth be called the “Republic of North Macedonia”.
FYROM Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov signed a NATO accession agreement on February 6, which was another key step toward Skopje’s becoming the military alliance’s thirtieth member.
At that time, FYROM said it expected that Greece would be the first NATO member to ratify the accession protocol, at which time the country will begin to call itself by its new name.
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