Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, called on Macedonians on Monday to vote in the forthcoming referendum on a deal with Greece on the name change of the former Yugoslav Republic, the Beta news agency reported.

“My life parole is simple: never miss the chance when they call you to vote,” Tusk wrote on his Twitter account in the Macedonian language.

Мојата животна поука е едноставна: Никогаш не ја пропуштајте можноста кога ќе ве повикаат да гласате. ?? pic.twitter.com/zyfDHX45SM

— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) September 17, 2018

Skopje has scheduled the referendum for September 30, when the voters will decide on the country’s new name North Macedonia following the deal with Athens in June, thus ending 27 year-long dispute.

If Macedonians accept the deal, the road to NATO and the European Union opens for the small Balkans country.

Ahead of Tusk’s tweet, many European and American officials visited Skopje in support of the referendum.

Earlier on Monday, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told his fellow countrymen to accept name change or face isolation.