A mass march was held in the Macedonian capital Skopje on September 16 led by senior government officials and aimed at convincing people to vote yes in the upcoming referendum on the name deal with Greece that will unblock the country’s EU and Nato integration processes.

According to the deal signed in June, Macedonia will have to change its name into North Macedonia and should make constitutional changes to reflect the changes. The agreement solves the long-standing name dispute with Greece which so far has been an obstacle to Macedonia’s bid to join Nato and to launch EU membership negotiations.

The march was part of the campaign of the "Together for European Macedonia" coalition of the governing parties and NGOs that support the referendum.

Thousands of people participated in the march which ended in front of the EU office in downtown Skopje.

Social Democrat Prime Minister Zoran Zaev urged voters to support the referendum on September 30 and to “vote for the future” of the country.

Zaev said that voting in the referendum is a choice for EU and Nato membership or for "isolation and total uncertainty".

The main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party is against the deal, which according to its leader Hristijan Mickoski is "capitulatory" one and against the national interests. However he did not call openly for a boycott of the referendum, but said that people should vote according to their consciences.

Turnout in the referendum is of great importance as 50% plus one voter need vote for the plebiscite to be successful. A majority of those who do vote are expected to support the changes to allow the country to advance in its EU and Nato integration processes, according to opinion polls.