People protest against name deal as MPs approve its ratification


People gathered Tuesday outside the Parliament’s building in Skopje to protest against ratification of the agreement with Greece on settling the name issue.

Some one hundred people protested as the MPs at a session voted in favor of approving the necessity to ratify the name deal in a fast-tracked procedure.

Today’s protest was peaceful and without incidents.

Demanding resignation of the government, the protesting citizens burnt a copy of the deal with Greece while singing the national anthem.

They called on the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE to leave the Parliament and not to extend support for the deal signed over the weekend in the region of Prespa.

At a news conference, VMRO-DPMNE said it wouldn’t take part in any activity of the Parliament after its MPs voted against the approval of a necessity to fast-track the agreement’s ratification.

Meanwhile, several protesters marched to VMRO-DPMNE’s main offices where they were received by the party’s leader Hristijan Mickoski.