Parliament vote on name deal moved to Friday

A vote in the Greek Parliament on the name deal between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will be held Friday at 2.30 p.m. instead of late Thursday, it was decided following a meeting of Parliament speakers and deputy speakers.

Despite the strong reactions the deal has provoked, both politically and socially, it is all but certain that it will pass, apparently with at least 152 votes.

Meanwhile, about 1,500 police officers took up positions around Athens ahead of demonstrations opposing the ratification of the agreement.