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Athens claims that Skopje has violated the name agreement

2024-06-24 19:51:43Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Athens claims that Skopje has violated the name agreement
Greek Foreign Minister, George Gerapetritis

Greece has accused North Macedonia's new government of violating the historic agreement on the country's name, warning that it could damage Skopje's hopes of one day joining the European Union.

Athens' reaction came a day after North Macedonia's new prime minister from VMRO DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski, repeatedly used the state's old name, Macedonia, saying he found the new state name "shameful".

The 2018 agreement with Greece, known as the Prespa Agreement, which claims Macedonia as one of its regions, was signed by the centre-left Government, which Mickoski defeated in parliamentary elections held on 8 May.

The agreement ended decades of disputes between the two countries. The name agreement enabled North Macedonia to later join NATO.

Speaking before Parliament on Sunday before the vote on the new Government, Mickoski repeatedly used the old name of the state. But after being sworn in as prime minister, he used the official name of the state.

"They will have to submit to you and mention this shameful last name because it is, unfortunately, part of the law and the Constitution that I have to respect as prime minister," said Mickoski in front of the deputies.

As a member of the EU, Greece can prevent its neighboring country from joining the bloc. Another neighbor, Bulgaria, is presenting similar obstacles due to disputes with North Macedonia regarding minority issues.

On Monday, Greek diplomat George Gerapetritis said that Skopje's EU membership will be "unacceptable and unthinkable" if international law, including the name agreement, is not fully respected.

He said that the new Macedonian leadership "has decided not to systematically use [the name North Macedonia] in public discourse within the country. This is a clear violation [of the agreement with Greece], as it provides for the use of the name North Macedonia both inside and outside the country," he said.

Even the new president of North Macedonia, Gordana Silanovska-Davkova, last month angered Greek and EU officials after she used the name Macedonia, not the official name of the state, during her swearing in as president.

She later insisted that she has a "human right" to refer to her country however she likes. /REL


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