Athens (AFP) – Greece’s leftist-led government on Saturday defeated a censure motion designed to block a landmark deal to end a 27-year name row with neighbouring Macedonia, a parliamentary speaker said.

“Out of 280 lawmakers present, 153 voted against the motion,” said speaker Yiorgis Varemenos, hours before the foreign ministers of Greece and Macedonia are to meet on the border on Sunday to sign the deal renaming the state the Republic of North Macedonia.