Cooperation will replace nationalism, says FM Dimitrov
Nikola Dimitrov, the foreign minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), hailed on Friday the approval of the name deal he brokered with former counterpart Nikos Kotzias to end the decades-old dispute, saying nationalism will be replaced with peace and cooperation.
“Today, we write a new chapter in the history of the Balkans. Nationalist hatred, disputes and clashes are now replaced by friendship, peace and cooperation,” he tweeted on his official account.
“Courage and hope defeated fear. The future is there. As Nikos [Kotzias] often says, history should be a teacher, not a prison. I am so proud of what we did. Long live our friendship and the friendship between our nations! Long live visionary patriotism!”
The settlement was ratified by 153 MPs in the 300-seat Parliament. It seeks to rename the Balkan state "Republic of North Macedonia" to differentiate it from Greece's northern province of Macedonia.
