Macedonia to become NATO’s 30th member

Name change accord paved the way

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg comments on the United States withdrawal from INF Treaty, in Oslo, Norway February 1, 2019.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) said on Saturday that its 29 members will on Wednesday clear the way for Macedonia to become the alliance’s 30th member, following its historic name change.

“On 6 February we will write history: #NATO Allies will sign the accession protocol with the future Republic of North Macedonia,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov would attend the ceremony at NATO headquarters, he added.

Last month’s accord with Greece to change the name of the former Yugoslav republic to ‘Republic of North Macedonia’ ended one of the world’s longest diplomatic disputes, paving the way for Skopje to join NATO and the European Union.