FYROM’s president has fulfilled his threat to not sign off on a deal with neighboring Greece for his country to change its name to ‘North Macedonia.’
Gjorge Ivanov’s decision will delay but not derail the deal that FYROM’s parliament has already ratified. Under the country’s constitution, if lawmakers meeting for a second time once again approve legislation that the president has refused to sign, then he can no longer block it.
Parliament speaker Talat Xhafer told the Associated Press that lawmakers will probably repeat the vote next week.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ivanov’s office argued that the agreement is unconstitutional.
The deal with Greece will require several more steps, including a referendum this autumn in FYROM, before it can be fully implemented.