On September 8, 1991, the majority of citizens – over 95 percent – said they were ‘in favor of an independent Macedonia with the right to join a future alliance of sovereign Yugoslav states’.
The referendum was preceded by the Declaration of Independence passed on Jan. 25, 1991 by the first multi-party Macedonian Parliament.
The will of the people for an independent state was confirmed with the Declaration on the Acceptance of Referendum Results on Sept. 18, 1991 in the Macedonian Parliament.
The next important step in the strengthening of the new state was the adoption of the Constitution on Nov. 17, 1991.
Today, Macedonia is an independent and sovereign state, recognized by its neighbors, a member of NATO and negotiating with the EU to join.
Due to the opposition and pressure from neighboring Greece, which did not accept the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia, the membership in the UN was under the temporary reference: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
