Republic of Macedonia

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday she had given up hope that Athens and Skopje could ever find a solution to the decades-old name dispute, before congratulating the two prime ministers for reaching a settlement.

Police in North Macedonia have prevented a planned "terrorist act" by supporters of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, the Western Balkan country's Interior Ministry says, reported by Radio Free Europe. 

Conservative New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis (second from right) is seen at the Munich Security Conference, which started Friday and is to run through Sunday, with International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde (left) and the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

The foreign ministry of newly renamed North Macedonia says it has formally informed the United Nations, UN member states and international bodies that its new name has come into effect under a historic deal to end a long dispute with neighboring Greece.

February 14 and 15 will be declared mourning days due to the severe crash that happened on the Skopje-Tetovo road near Carpalak, reports the Skopje TV MTM.

A woman walks between a Greek border landmark and a new signpost for North Macedonia at the Evzones border crossing on Wednesday. After the ratification of the Prespes deal and a NATO accession protocol, authorities in the Balkan country are now formally implementing the name change, and will be adjusting road signs, passports and car license plates over the coming months.

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.

North Macedonia's defense minister, Radmila Sekerinska, says she's filled with pride as her country takes a seat at NATO's table for the first time.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday at a meeting of NATO defense ministers, Sekerinska said North Macedonia has "shown that change is possible if you have the right amount of political leadership."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his counterpart Zoran Zaev of North Macedonia have been selected to receive the prestigious Ewald von Kleist award in recognition of their efforts to resolve the decades-old name dispute between Athens and Skopje.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his North Macedonia counterpart Zoran Zaev have been officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, state-run Athens-Macedonian news agency has reported.