With negotiations on the FYROM naming issue having entered the last stretch, the prime minister’s office called on New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis to exhibit “seriousness” in approaching the issue.
“The position of the Greek government has always been precise and clear. The presupposition for a solution and for the admission of FYROM to Nato and the EU is an agreement on a composite name, with a geographic or temporal marker, that will apply towards everyone [domestically in FYROM and internationally], which presupposes a constitutional revision,” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ press office said in a statement.
The statement was in response to a press release issued by New Democracy, which cited various assertions by FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who was quoted as saying that an agreement has been reached in principle and that it entails Greece’s recognition of a “Macedonian language” and “Macedonian identity”. It also quoted Zaev as saying that the deal provides that Athens will send Nato a letter approving FYROM’s admission into the alliance.
“New Democracy need not rush. Until now there has been no agreement. It will understand soon, if an agreement is reached, that it will need to search hard to find an argument for not supporting it,” the PM’s office said.
“The only thing we have until now is the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to do what is necessary, to satisfy the request of FYROM’s prime minister to remove the name Macedonia from the name of the [Orthodox] Church of our northern neighbours. Hence, it would be well if New Democracy and Mr. Mitsotakis were to exhibit a modicum of seriousness on difficult national issues, especially amidst negotiation,” the statement concluded.
