Russian Position On Macedonian Constitutional Name Remains Unchanged - Embassy

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2018) Russia has not changed its position on the constitutional name of Macedonia, the Russian embassy in Macedonia said.

On Friday, the Macedonian parliament passed amendments to the country's constitution that allow the state to change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. A total of 80 lawmakers out of 120 voted in favor of the name change securing the majority required to pass the bill.

"Russia recognized the Republic of Macedonia under its constitutional name more than 26 years ago and is not changing its position [on the issue]," the embassy wrote on its Twitter page on Sunday.

The new name will allow the Balkan state to join NATO and the European Union, the process that Greece has been blocking over fears that the former Yugoslav republic might try to claim its region under the same name.

The agreement on changing Macedonia's name was signed by Athens and Skopje in June.