As of today, North Macedonia marks the end of a transitional five-year period stipulated by the Prespa Agreement, rendering travel documents bearing the country’s former name, “Republic of Macedonia,” invalid for international use.
Bujar Osmani, the nation’s Foreign Minister, addressed the media last week, ensuring that North Macedonian citizens abroad with outdated passports can return home using emergency travel documents issued by diplomatic and consular missions.
The Prespa Agreement, which took effect on February 12, 2019, mandated the expiration of passports carrying the old state name five years post-enactment, aligning with today’s date.
The Interior Ministry has previously announced that from February 13 onwards, only passports and driving licenses with the updated country name, “North Macedonia,” will be recognized. However, national ID cards will remain valid beyond this date and can be used within North Macedonian borders without issue.
This move comes as part of North Macedonia’s commitment to the Prespa Agreement, a landmark accord with Greece that facilitated the resolution of a long-standing name dispute, leading to the official renaming of the country to “North Macedonia” on February 12, 2019. The agreement necessitated the alignment of official documents with the country’s new constitutional name, marking a significant step in the nation’s diplomatic journey.
