AKIPRESS.COM - Macedonia's vote on changing its name to North Macedonia looks to have fallen far short of the turnout required.

Preliminary results show that just over a third of Macedonians voted in the referendum, with 50% needed, BBC reports.

But with 90% of those who took part in favour of the change, the country's prime minister has urged parliament to "confirm the will of the majority".

The vote aimed to end a long-running dispute with Greece, which has its own region called Macedonia.

Athens had agreed to end its objections to Macedonia's EU and Nato membership bids if the change was passed.