It has been six years since Skopje and Athens signed the Prespa name deal that changed the name of the country then known as Macedonia to facilitate its path towards EU and Nato membership, yet divisions over the agreement persist.

In an effort to meet Greek demands, the country was renamed North Macedonia with the signing of the Prespa Agreement in 2018. Subsequently, the renamed country became a Nato member in 2020, but its EU integration process has encountered other obstacles, including opposition from its eastern neighbour Bulgaria.

The Prespa Agreement, reached under UN auspices on June 17, 2018, resolved a nearly three-decade-long dispute between Greece and the then-Republic of Macedonia. Beyond terminological clarity, the agreement outlined areas of bilateral cooperation, aiming to establish a strategic partnership.

In 2019, ex-prime ministers Zoran Zaev of North Macedonia and Alexis Tsipras of Greece were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and in 2020 they received the International Peace Prize of Westphalia in recognition of the Prespa Agreement. 

However, public and political opinions remain divided over the deal, and its full implementation remains uncertain with the impending change in North Macedonia's government.

There are signs that the new government in Skopje led by the right-wing nationalist VMRO-DPMNE will be less inclined to prioritise good relations with North Macedonia’s neighbours. 

The country’s new President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, backed by VMRO-DPMNE, omitted the word "North" when taking her official oath in parliament last month. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reacted strongly, urging adherence to the Prespa Agreement.

However, Siljanovska Davkova defended her actions, citing her constitutional obligations to respect the agreement by signing official documents with the name "North Macedonia", while asserting her democratic right to verbally refer to the country as "Macedonia". She invoked the principles of free speech attributed to Greek philosopher Socrates.

Prime Minister-designate Hristijan Mickoski also refrains from using the name "North Macedonia" in his speeches, openly advocating for the old name. 

Despite this, both the president and the prime minister-elect affirm that the new government will steer towards EU integration, although the trajectory remains uncertain amidst Greek objections to the use of the old name "Macedonia". 

Meanwhile, Zaev and Tsipras continue to advocate for adherence to the agreement. On the anniversary of the signing, June 17, the two former prime ministers, through their respective organisations, the Zaev Foundation and Alexis Tsipras Institute, organised a two-day international conference in Athens focused on peace and sustainable development. The conference is set to honour Matthew Nimetz, the mediator of the name talks, with an award.

The conference featured discussions on topics such as the Balkans, regional developments, climate crisis, green agenda, European and Greek economy, future of Europe, and combating extremism. Participants included prime ministers, former presidents, European commissioners, academics, scientists, and directors of institutes from the international, European, Balkan and broader regions.

The organisers aim to hold the International Conference for Peace and Sustainable Development annually every June, marking the signing of the Prespa Agreement. They view this as an initiative to support and implement the agreement, sending a message of peace against the nationalism that has historically plagued the Balkans, Europe and beyond.

“The Prespa Agreement is living proof that even the most difficult disputes can be resolved when leaders prioritise the greater good above all else. It marked the historic moment when conflict was transformed into cooperation with a vision of a harmonious future,” Zaev said in a Facebook post on June 17.