North Macedonia’s Parliament, Sobranie, unanimously ratified NATO Protocol late on Tuesday before NATO’s formal decision on the matter, which is awaiting the Spanish approval, and before Parliament is dissolved due to early elections, the Beta news agency reported.

The final document on the full NATO membership would be in place after Spain, as the last Alliance’s member state, ratifies the Protocol on North Macedonia’s accession to NATO.

In the Sobranie’s plenary hall, the NATO flag joined the national and the European Union flags, while the Speaker’s desk was decorated with flowers in the Alliance’s blue and white colours.

North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski said the membership “in the most powerful alliance in the world is a privilege but also a huge obligation.”

Skopje started the NATO accession process in the second half of 2018, after receiving the invitation from Brussels.

The Alliance's accession protocol with Skopje was signed in Brussels last year and had been ratified by 28 member states so far. Spain started the process after forming a new government, but due to a complicated procedure, it is unlikely to be over before Sobranie is dissolved.