A Slovak Member of the European Parliament from the conservative European People’s Party (EPP) told a news conference yesterday that main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis “will not be entirely negative” regarding a FYROM naming settlement.
The MEP, Eduard Kukan, was addressing a joint press conference with FYROM’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, Bujat Osmani.
“I cannot tell you precisely what the leader of New Democracy told us, but he said that he would not be entirely negative regarding the resolution of the name issue,” Kukan said.
Asked to clarify what Mitsotakis said, Kukan refused to offer details, asserting that, “This is an issue on the sidelines, and there are things you cannot discuss in front of journalists, as it will harm your affair.”
The Slovak MEP said that EPP members called upon Mitsotakis to “put things in a broader perspective”, taking into account all the positive repercussions of a settlement for the two countries, and that he should “be a visionary”.
Prime Minister Alexis’ Tsipras’ office issued a statement accusing Mitsotakis of double-talk.
“With his statement, Slovak MEP Eduard Kukan, according to whom Kyriakos Mitsotakis told EPP members that he is “not entirely negative about the solution of the naming issue” of FYROM, confirmed one thing about the ND leader. It has become a habit for Mr. Mitsotakis, as regards negotiations with FYROM, to appear as Dr Jekyll abroad and as Mr. Hyde domestically. We wonder if this is due simply to irresponsibility and hypocrisy, or a perpetual chameleon syndrome.”
