Melania Trump corrected by Greek Embassy in Washington over ‘Macedonia’ slip

First Lady Melania Trump recently referred to the Republic of North Macedonia as simply “Macedonia”, triggering formal action from the Greek Embassy of Washington.

This slip up occurred during her speech at the first Fostering the Future Together summit which convened 45 countries and tech companies.

Macedonia is the name of a historic and geographic Greek province and using it for a foreign state is a sensitive diplomatic violation.

The Embassy’s intervention to correct her phrasing upholds the legal standards of the 2018 Prespa Agreement. Under the erga omnes principle of the Agreement, the country must be called “North Macedonia” in all official and public contexts.

Greek diplomats contacted the relevant offices to ensure official records and future communications will use the correct terminology.

The Embassy noted that using “Macedonia” to refer to the sovereign state in Skopje “not only ignores international treaties but also causes regional confusion regarding Greek cultural identity.”

This prompt diplomatic action highlights Athens’ close monitoring of developments in Washington, emphasising that the “North” qualifier in the country’s name is legally binding, not optional, and is meant to protect the distinct identity of the Greek region of Macedonia.