Macedonia’s President Gjorge Ivanov refused on June 26 to sign his country's critical name agreement with Greece, after it was ratified in the parliament, claiming that it is not constitutional.

The move came ahead of the European Council summit at which EU leaders should decide whether to give a date to Macedonia to launch its EU accession talks. For years, Greece has blocked Macedonia’s EU and Nato accession as it objects to the use of the name "Macedonia", but after the signing of the deal, which sets a new name for the country – Republic of North Macedonia, Greece lifted its objections.

However, many Macedonians, including Ivanov and the main opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, are unhappy with the deal struck with Athens by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's government. “The agreement has no constitutional ground and has not been ratified (in the parliament) in accordance with the Constitution,” Ivanov said in a letter to the assembly's speaker Talat Xhaferi.

“The legalisation of this agreement implies legal consequences" that are the basis for launching a procedure for a "criminal act,” Ivanov said.

The president's decision may create only a temporary obstacle for Macedonia as the parliament is expected to pass the law in a second vote, after which the president is obliged to sign it. The new vote is expected to take place later this week or early next week.

The approval of the law is needed for the Macedonian government to call a referendum on the issue, planned for the autumn, in which citizens will have a final say whether they will accept the country’s new name and other changes that stem from the agreement.

Zaev said on June 25 that he will resign if the agreement is overturned by citizens in the planned referendum.

However, Zaev underlined he is optimistic that the referendum will be successful as 75%-85% of Macedonia’s population are in favour of the country’s accession into Nato and the EU.