Macedonia Expects Long-Awaited NATO Invitation

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a press conference on Tuesday that Macedonia will be invited to start accession talks at the summit, but will only be able to join after implementing the name deal with Greece.

"Once the [name] agreement is finalised and implemented, we will be able to invite the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to become NATO's 30th member under its new name, Republic of North Macedonia, a strong signal that NATO's door is and remains open," Stoltenberg said.

In 2008, Macedonia missed the chance to become a NATO member at the Wesrern military alliance's Bucharest summit, when Athens vetoed the planned invitation due to the longstanding name dispute.

Ever since then, NATO has kept repeating that the invitation will be extended the moment the country solves its bilateral dispute with Greece.

"NATO membership is a historic chance which we now must use," Macedonian Defence Minister Radmila Shekerinska said on Tuesday.

"Membership will mean stability and safety for Macedonia and its citizens but it will also bring a chance for quicker economic development and prosperity," Shekerinska added.

Macedonia and Greece signed the historic name deal on June 17 after a series of tough UN-sponsored talks.

Under the agreement, Macedonia will change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in order to make a distinction from the northern Greek province which is also called Macedonia.

But the hardest work for Skopje is yet to come, as the authorities are obliged to hold a name referendum in the autumn, at which the majority of voters will have to support it in order for a constitutional change to take place and the agreement to be fully implemented.

The Macedonian...