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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Molly Pike

Eurovision 2019: Why is Macedonia called North Macedonia?

Eurovision 2019 has had a surprise favourite in the entry from North Macedonia tonight, but it's not the performance that's had all the viewers talking.

Representing the country with her song Proud is Tamara Todevska, who has entered Eurovision two times before.

But fans on Twitter have been wondering why the country has suddenly had a name change as it used to be known as simply Macedonia.

North Macedonia officially added the 'North' in February 2019 to appease their neighbours in Greece.

The name change differentiates the state, which lies between Bulgaria and Albania, from Greece's own region of Macedonia.

Tamara Todevska represented North Macedonia with her song Proud (Getty Images)
The country stands a good chance of winning (Getty Images)

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Greece had been blocking North Macedonia's entry into the EU and Nato because it disapproved of the original name.

The change came into being with the Prespa Agreement, which was signed on in June 2018 and came into being in February this year.

North Macedonia’s foreign minister, said at the time: “We have just exchanged the final note verbale: Prespa Agreement enters into force!

North Macedonia officially added the 'North' in February 2019 to appease their neighbours in Greece (ABIR SULTAN/EPA-EFE/REX)

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“May today be the beginning of a long friendship between Greece and North Macedonia.

“We can’t change our past, but we can and we will shape our future of friendship, partnership and cooperation.”

It's already been an eventful ceremony with questionable lyrics , dodgy miming and even crying on stage .

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