North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in an interview with Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) published days before the first anniversary of the 17 June signing of the Prespa Agreement expressed confidence that a Mitsotakis government will not challenge the accord that the New Democracy leader so bitterly opposed.
Zaev also said he expects Germany and the EU to honour their side of the bargain and to give Skopje a date for the beginning of EU accession talks, even as he noted French and Dutch reservations.
Mitsotakis has said that if he is elected Prime Minister he will honour the agreement but that he will work to improve certain provisions in their implementation. He has referred particularly to issues of trade and commerce and brand names.
“I do not think the situation will become more difficult,” Zaev said of a prospective New Democracy victory in Greece’s 7 July parliamentary elections.
All polls indicate that ND is expected to win by a large margin.
“It is a matter for the Greeks to choose their government, but the solution of the naming problem is linked to many advantages for both countries, and that stands true regardless of who is in power. Politicians in Athens and here are not interested in revisiting issues that have been resolved. Mitsotakis has said that public,” said the North Macedonian PM.
Asked about Mitsotakis’ threat that Athens can block Skopje’s EU accession process if the terms of the Prespa Agreement are violated by North Macedonia Zaev noted that, “Certain parts of the agreement with Greece must still be arranged, such as the issue of passports and other documents bearing the new name of the state as well as the issue of revising school history books. Those issues could at any moment lead to accession complications in accession talks.”
Source: FAZ, DW
