Greece approves protocol for Macedonia to join NATO

By Furkan Naci Top </p> <p>ATHENS (AA) – Greece’s parliament approved protocol for Macedonia to join NATO after ending a 28-year name dispute. </p> <p>The measure was accepted by a 153-140 vote. </p> <p>Ruling Syriza and Potami parties backed the vote while main opposition New Democracy (ND) party and Independent Greeks (ANEL) voted against the protocol. </p> <p>Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told lawmakers they fulfilled their patriotic duty against all threats and thanked members of the parliament. </p> <p>Opposition ND party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, claimed the Greek nation is against the decision and the approving of the protocol is a “national defeat.” </p> <p>Last week, parliament ratified a historic deal to end the dispute about Macedonia’s name, paving the way for the Balkan country to join NATO and the EU. </p> <p>Under the deal, Macedonia will be renamed “the Republic of North Macedonia” and Greece will drop objections to the country joining the EU and NATO. </p> <p>The name issue has kept Macedonia from joining the EU and NATO since its independence in 1991. </p> <p>NATO invited Macedonia to begin accession talks to join the alliance at a summit in Brussels last July. <br> <br> </p> <p>