SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) – The Latest on Macedonia’s referendum on a name change for the country (all times local):
8:00 p.m.
The prime minister of Macedonia has declared a referendum on changing the country’s name a “success for democracy and for a European Macedonia,” and plans to address citizens again once results and final turnout figures are in.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev spoke after polls closed in Sunday’s vote. The referendum asked voters whether they backed a deal with Greece that would change their nation’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership.
Weak turnout could make it harder for Zaev to muster enough support in parliament for constitutional amendments needed to finalize the deal. If the amendments fail to receive the two-thirds majority required for passage, Zaev said he would immediately call an early election.
Those opposing the deal had urged voters to boycott the referendum. Critics included President Gjorge Ivanov, who called the agreement with Greece a “flagrant violation of sovereignty.”
Backdropped by the Parliament, protesters that had urged voters to boycott Sunday’s referendum chant slogans as they demonstrate in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. A crucial referendum on changing the nation of Macedonia’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership attracted tepid voter participation Sunday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
State Electoral Commission head Oliver Derkoski said turnout stood at 34 percent half an hour before polls closed, based on data from 85 percent of polling stations.
___
6:55 p.m.
Supporters of a voter boycott of Macedonia’s referendum on changing the country’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership are starting to celebrate based on low turnout figures election officials gave before polls closed.
Boycott supporters cheered and chanted “Macedonia” outside Parliament in the capital, Skopje. Turnout was below 29 percent two hours before polls were due to close.
The deal with Greece, signed in June, would end a dispute dating from the early 1990s, when Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia. Greece argued that its small neighbor’s name implied territorial ambitions on its own Macedonia province and blocked the country’s efforts to join NATO.
But the agreement has faced vocal opposition on both sides of the border, with detractors accusing their respective governments of conceding too much to the other side.
___
5:45 p.m.
Macedonia’s state election commission says voter turnout for a referendum on changing the country’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership stood at 28.8 percent two hours before polls close.
State Electoral Commission head Oliver Derkoski provided the updated turnout figure as of 5 p.m. Sunday. Low turnout could make it harder for Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to persuade lawmakers to vote on constitutional changes needed for the deal with Greece to become final.
The Macedonian Constitution requires a minimum turnout of 50 percent of eligible voters for a binding referendum. However, Zaev’s government says the referendum was called as a consultative move.
That means it could interpret the outcome as a fair reflection of public opinion regardless of how many voters participated.
___
3 p.m.
A Macedonian election official says turnout in Macedonia’s name change referendum stood at 16 percent six hours before the polls close.
Macedonians are voting on whether to accept a deal with neighboring Greece under which they will change their country’s name to North Macedonia and Greece will drop its objections to the country joining NATO.
State Electoral Commission head Oliver Derkoski gave the 1 p.m. turnout figure.
The government, which called the referendum, has described it as non-binding, meaning it could take the result as an accurate reflection of public opinion regardless of the turnout.
Opponents of the name deal with Greece, which include President Gjorge Ivanov, have called for a boycott of the vote.
– This corrects the name of the election chief to Derkoski.
___
10 a.m.
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has cast his ballot in his country’s crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a dispute with Greece by changing the country’s name to North Macedonia.
Speaking after voting Sunday in the southeastern town of Strumica, Zaev urged his fellow countrymen to come out in force to vote. He said he was confident of a strong turnout that would prove Macedonians are in favor of joining NATO and eventually the European Union.
Zaev said Macedonians “are deciding the fate of our country. I invite everyone to come out and make this serious decision for the future of our country, for future generations.”
Still, the agreement has faced vocal opposition on both sides of the border and critics have urged people to boycott’s Sunday’s referendum.
___
7 a.m.
Macedonians are deciding on their country’s future, voting whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia and paving the way to NATO membership.
The June deal would end a dispute dating from the early 1990s when Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia. Greece had argued that use of the name implied territorial ambitions on its own province of the same name, and blocked the country’s efforts to join NATO.
But the agreement has faced vocal opposition on both sides of the border and critics have urged citizens to boycott’s Sunday’s referendum.
Opponents in Macedonia include the country’s president, Gjorge Ivanov, who has called the deal a “flagrant violation of sovereignty.”
____
Ivana Bzganovic in Skopje contributed to this report.
Protesters that had urged voters to boycott Sunday’s referendum demonstrate in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. The t-shirt reads: ‘Boycotage’. A crucial referendum on changing the nation of Macedonia’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership attracted tepid voter participation Sunday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, centre, accompanied by his wife Zorica, left and his son Dusko, right, casts his ballot at a polling station during a referendum in Strumica, southeastern Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
People walk in a school looking for their polling station in order to vote during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A woman casts her ballot at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way to NATO membership.(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A man casts his ballot at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way to NATO membership.(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A polling station official uses a UV device to ensure the voter hadn’t voted before at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Voters have their hand sprayed with special ink, invisible to naked eye, after they cast their ballots to avoid fraud. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A woman prepares he ballot in order to vote at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A man waits to cast his ballot at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way to NATO membership.(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Tourists visit a statue of Alexander the Great, at the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way to NATO membership. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
Tourists visit a statue of Alexander the Great, at the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way to NATO membership. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
An ethnic Albanian woman casts her ballot in at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
People check a board to locate their polling stations in order to vote during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way to NATO membership.(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A polling station official sprays UV ink to prevent citizens from attempting to vote multiple times, at a polling station during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, left, accompanied by his wife Zorica, background and his son Dusko, right, casts his ballot at a polling station during a referendum in Strumica, southeastern Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev talks to members of the media after he voted at a polling station during a referendum in Strumica, southeastern Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
People wait in a queue to cast their ballots during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
People wait outside polling stations at a school during a referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians were deciding Sunday on their country’s future, voting in a crucial referendum on whether to accept a landmark deal ending a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Greece by changing their country’s name to North Macedonia, to qualify for NATO membership and also pave its way toward the European Union. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Greek protesters chant slogans against Greece’s name deal with neighboring Macedonia, during a rally in the northern city of Thessaloniki, on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. A referendum on changing the nation of Macedonia’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership attracted tepid voter participation Sunday, with turnout standing below 29 percent two hours before polls close. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
Protesters that had urged voters to boycott Sunday’s referendum chant slogans as they demonstrate in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. A crucial referendum on changing the nation of Macedonia’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership attracted tepid voter participation Sunday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Protesters that had urged voters to boycott Sunday’s referendum demonstrate in Skopje, Macedonia, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. A crucial referendum on changing the nation of Macedonia’s name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership attracted tepid voter participation Sunday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
An election official stands outside a polling station in village of Saramzalino, eastern Macedonia, during a referendum on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Macedonians vote on whether to change their country’s name to North Macedonia, paving the way for NATO membership. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.