The Zaev Government sent out a recommendation to municipal authorities to begin removing the Kutles / Vergina star from all public spaces. This is one of the most controversial articles of the Prespa treaty, under which the symbol, often found in medieval structures, must be removed from all public spaces in the Republic of Macedonia as Greece claims it as its exclusive property.

The symbol received a boost in popularity as it was found in the tomb of king Philip the II, unearthed near the ancient city of Aiga, closely across the border in modern day Greece. Macedonia adopted the symbol for its flag in 1991, sparking a nationalist reaction in Greece, which forced Macedonia to remove it from the flag as one of the conditions for lifting the crippling trade embargo in 1995.

The Kutles flag is still widely used in Macedonia, alongside the new version that also represents a yellow star on a red background. Greek nationalists often use a blue flag with the yellow sun as the flag of the region of Macedonia.