Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has warned North Macedonia that its disregard of the prespa Agreement will imperil its bid to join the European Union.
Mr. Mitsotakis sounded the warning during a meeting of EU heads of government in Brussels. He emphasized that if Skopje continued to publicly identify itself with a name Greece considers its own – Macedonia – and an integral part of its history, its chances of joining the European Union would be spoiled.
Tensions between Athens and Skopje have grown since the election of North Macedonia’s new president in May when she riled Greek and EU officials for her country Macedonia in her oath of office.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova later insisted that she had a “human right” to refer to the country as she liked.
The 2018 deal with Greece, which claims Macedonia as the name of one of its regions, was signed by the center-left government that the new leadership in Skopje defeated in May 8 elections.
It ended a decades-long quarrel over history and cultural heritage, and stipulated that the country would formally adopt the new name North Macedonia. The agreement allowed North Macedonia to later join NATO.
Compliance with international agreements is crucial for maintaining peace and security.