SKOPJE, September 30. /TASS/. Voting at a referendum on an intergovernmental treaty with Greece on changing the Balkan nation’s name to North Macedonia is over as ballot stations closed at 7:00 p.m. local time (20:00 GMT) on Sunday.

According to Macedonia’s State Election Commission, the voter turnout was 34.59% as at 18:30 local time.

More than 1.8 million citizens of Macedonia, which is home to nearly 2 million, are eligible to vote. The voters answered one more question: "Are you in favor of European Union and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?"

The vote was held at 3,480 ballot stations in 80 municipalities and the capital of Skopje. The vote outcome should be announced by the commission within 24 hours after receiving all protocols and ballots from municipal commissions.

Under Macedonia’s law, the referendum’s outcome will be recognized valid if the voter turnout exceeds 50%

The referendum is meant to put an end to the 27-year-long dispute between Macedonia and Greece over the name of the former Yugoslav republic, which coincides with the name of the northern Greek region.

Athens argued that its neighboring country’s name should be changed and opposed its accession to the European Union and NATO. On June 17, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov signed an agreement stating that the former Yugoslav republic would change its name to the Republic of Northern Macedonia. This treaty is due to resolve the years-long dispute on the country’s name and also pave the way for it to NATO and the EU.