SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) — Macedonia's prime minister says any new name for his country that is agreed with neighboring Greece will be put to a referendum to be held later this year.

Speaking at a news conference marking one year since he took office, Zoran Zaev said Wednesday that Skopje and Athens have never been closer to reaching an agreement over Macedonia's name, which has been the subject of a decades-long dispute.

Macedonia's government has committed to modifying the republic's name to address Greek concerns that the current one implies territorial claims on the northern Greek province of the same name. In return, Athens has promised to lift its objections to Macedonia's NATO and European Union membership

Zaev said a referendum on whatever solution is found will be held in September or October.