Republic of North Macedonia changes symbol, signs

With the Prespa Agreement having come into effect, the Republic of North Macedonia is busy changing signs and markers in the beginning of a transition to use the country's new constitutional name domestically.

The new name has been placed on official websites and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov welcomed the change as the start of a new era in relations between Athens and Skopje.

"We have just exchanged the final note verbale: Prespa Agreement enters into force! May today be the beginning of a long friendship between Greece and North Macedonia. We can't change our past, but we can and we will shape our future of friendship, partnership and cooperation," Dimitrov wrote in a tweet yesterday.

The country has also changed its coat of arms, which now features its new name.

Skopje and Athens in a joint letter yesterday informed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that the Prespa Agreement has come into effect and that the country's new name is Republic of North Macedonia.

Sources in Skopje said that all UN member-states and all other international organisations will be informed of the name change as soon as possible.

Today, the sign at the Gevgeliga Greece-North Macedonia border crossing was changed to include the new name in both English and in the domestic Macedonian language. Though the new metal sign was not ready the old one has been covered with a sheet of paper with the new name printed on it.

The new name, which is Severna Makedonija in the language of North Macedonia, will be placed on all public buildings and diplomatic representations.

Work is already underway to change the country's road signs.

By the end of the year, the process of changing the name on passports and other official documents will begin....