Because of the decades of humiliation, culminating with the French and the Bulgarian veto even after Macedonia changed its name to placate Greece, this proposal is hugely unpopular among ethnic Macedonians. Only 32 Macedonian members of Parliament voted to begin the initiative. A majority of the votes to begin the process – 38 – were from ethnic minority members of Parliament: Albanians, Turks, Roma, Vlach and a Serb.

On the VMRO side, 44 members of Parliament – most of them Macedonians – voted against. Three ethnic Macedonian MPs from other parties also voted against the proposal.