Costs to replace documents to accommodate the name “Republic of North Macedonia” will amount in the hundreds of euros for an average Macedonian family, and the entire process will take years, Republika estimates.

A new passport bearing the name that was imposed on the country costs 1.800 denars for an adult and 1.700 for a child. A family of four will have to pay 120 EUR for new passports, and that is only in the regular procedure. If faced with an urgent trip or likely complications when travelling to Greece with the passports bearing the name “Republic of Macedonia”, the new passports will set the family back a full 200 EUR.

Identity cards, the other personal identification document Macedonian citizens must obtain, cost 3 EUR each and driver licences from the “Republic of North Macedonia” would cost additional 7 EUR each. Prices go up if the applicant demands the document urgently, under a priority procedure. Given the high volume of travel to Greece, depending on how long Greek authorities continue to accept the “Republic of Macedonia” documents, many citizens may find themselves forced to use the second option, where prices will go up to 20 EUR per family.

Costs for new birth certificates for the family would amount to 10 EUR per family, and 2.5 EUR for a wedding certificate, all often time consuming procedures.

Government officials could not tell Republika whether other documents, such as school reports, would have to be changed. Either way, the process will take years – the deal Zoran Zaev signed with Alexis Tsipras provides for five years, and would cost citizens at least one average wage.