Republik Nordmazedonien

North Maceodnia’s presidential election is headed for a second round after the top two candidates battled to a virtual tie in the first round reflecting deep divisions in the Balkan nation over its new name. Pro-Western Stevo Pendarovski, and his main rival conservative Gordana Siljanovsa will face off on May 5.

Skopje Criminal Court jailed 16 people involved in the 2017 mob attack on the country's legislature, including a former interior minister who was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

The amendment that changed the country's name became law with its publication in the official gazette, a month after the parliament approved the move. North Macedonia also formally notified the United Nations about the name change, the government said.

Macedonia is poised to become NATO’s 30th member state, NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Wednesday after the alliance signed an accession protocol with Skopje.

Macedonia says it is ready to accelerate accession talks to join the European Union after agreeing with Greece on a name change to end a decades-long dispute.

The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the naming dispute between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Matthew Nimetz, has welcomed the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia parliament’s decision to ratify an agreement on a new name for the latter country, following a dispute that has lasted some 28 years.

Macedonian lawmakers are in the final stretch of renaming their country North Macedonia as part of a deal with neighboring Greece in return for membership of NATO and potentially the European Union.