Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has called on voters to boycott the referendum on the name, saying the state is asked to commit "historic suicide."
"The voting in the referendum is a right, not an obligation," Ivanov said on September 27 in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. Macedonia's residents are expected to vote in September 30, in the framework of the agreement reached with Greece this year, to change the name of the state in Northern Macedonia. The name dispute between Skopje and Athens dates back to 1991, respectively in the year when Macedonia declared its independence.Greece, a NATO member state and European Union has used the name issue as a justification to veto Macedonia on its path to membership in these two organizations. In case of the implementation of the agreement, Greece will no longer obstruct Macedonia in these processes.
"On September 30, I will not vote and I know that you, my beloved citizens will make a wise decision," Ivanov told the UN.
Ivanov, who described this as a [rpcess of "violation of state sovereignty", criticized the European and US officials who have visited Macedonia in recent weeks, claiming that the implementation of the name agreement is Macedonia's only hope to be NATO and EU membership. The United States and European officials have accused Russia of intervening in this process for the failure of the referendum.