Deputy PM for European Affairs Bujar Osmani described the peaceful and non-violent protests in Athens on Sunday as part of the public debate and a guaranteed right in a democracy, which should nonetheless have no influence over the name dispute resolution process. “However,” Osmani said before his meeting with Western Balkans ambassadors, “We should also not […]
The Forum for Democratic Macedonia (FDM) welcomed Thursday the initiative for settling the name issue – the main obstacle to Macedonia’s integration with the European Union and NATO. Today’s visit of UN name mediator Matthew Nimetz to Macedonia, as well as the recent meeting of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras […]
The Skopje-Athens name talks under the auspice of the United Nations and Ambassador Nimetz will resume, but from this moment on the foreign ministers will lead the negotiating teams of both countries, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Thursday at a meeting with UN mediator Matthew Nimetz. Nimetz on his part presented his ideas, opinions on […]
The settling of differences over the name must be in compliance with international law and international treaties, President Gjorge Ivanov told Matthew Nimetz, UN special envoy in the name talks, at their meeting Thursday in Skopje. Welcoming steps aimed at intensifying the dialogue, Ivanov noted that a name settlement could be sought only in the […]
The identity cannot be subject to negotiations because it is not part of a decision but comes as a result of a historic process. This issue is larger than me, the negotiators and the entire generation of current politicians, even future ones. Therefore, a solution will unfortunately be impossible if we reach this point of […]
The process is moving forward, there is will for a solution on both sides. This positive moment needs to be used. Now is the right time to reach a solution so that the region finally moves forward, with the two countries resuming their cooperation and friendship, said United Nations envoy in the name issue, Matthew […]
The agreement will not be a matter of ‘take it or leave it’ as the other party will have an opportunity to intervene with own proposals, Greek FM Nikos Kotzias said Tuesday in regard to a draft document covering ‘all open issues relating to the name’ he had announced at yesterday’s interview with the state […]
There’s momentum, it’s time for making decisions, UN name mediator Matthew Nimetz said after his meeting Tuesday in Athens with Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias. Nimetz and Kotzias discussed the ideas tabled by the UN envoy two weeks ago. After being briefed on the government’s positions, Nimetz said there were willingness demonstrated by the two […]
It is very good news that the UN name mediator Matthew Nimetz is visiting the region, because the best solutions can be found only through dialogue, EU Ambassador to Macedonia Samuel Zbogar said Tuesday answering journalist question about the EU’s expectations from Nimetz’s visit and from the name dispute negotiations between Macedonia and Greece. “In […]
Ahead of the visit of the UN special envoy Matthew Nimetz, appointed to mediate the name talks, we emphasize that by publicly revealing ultimate positions, the room for negotiating could be diminished, the office of Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov told MIA. “On our part, we have shown good will for a mutually acceptable solution that […]
US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt prior to Tuesday’s meetings of UN mediator Matthew Nimetz in Athens, said that he is an optimist that a progress will be achieved in the negotiations for resolving name issue of Macedonia. In the interview with Greece’s Skai TV, Pyatt said that Washington fully supports the efforts of Nimetz […]
The northern neighbor should make name changes that leave no scope for irredentist claims, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said during his meeting Monday with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who is in Greece for a two-day official visit. Pavlopoulos added that our country would also have to make amendments to the Constitution, which would pave the […]
The name issue to be closed according to the model of the friendship treaty with Bulgaria, with a consensus reached by the two governments, followed by a ratification in the assemblies of the two countries, DUI leader Ali Ahmeti proposes in Sunday’s interview with Greece’s newspaper Kathimerini. There is no better time than now to […]
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday held day-long meetings with political party leaders in the country to inform them about the latest developments related to the name issue, it has been reported. In an address to the nation after the meetings, Tsipras vowed he would seek a mutually acceptable solution to the name row […]
Settlement of the name issue would bring greater stability to the Western Balkans, says Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and current US envoy for the conflict in the Ukraine. “Of course I hope to see progress on the name issue. It will be in the interest of both countries. I believe that there […]
The incumbent Greek administration will be seeking a solution to the name dispute regardless of the political price it has to pay, provided that the other party is also demonstrating preparedness to solve it, because it takes two to tango, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Katrougalos told Greek MPs, MIA reported. He accused the […]
Thousands of people, carrying banners with messages ‘Macedonia was, will be Greek’; ‘The name is our soul’, took Sunday to the streets Thessaloniki to ‘defend the name’, MIA reports. Hardline clerics, far-right leaders and Greek diaspora groups have called for the protest against the use of term ‘Macedonia’ in any solution to Athens-Skopje name dispute. […]
‘Macedonia is Greece’ – reads a billboard hanged over a stage in downtown Thessaloniki where a long-announced protest against the use of term ‘Macedonia’ in any solution to Athens-Skopje name dispute is set to commence at 14:00h local time. The police have tightened the security measures for the protest, as well as the counter-protest of […]
Greek media keep offering extensive, detailed reports on the latest developments related to Athens-Skopje name dispute, MIA reports from the capital of Greece. The front pages of Sunday’s editions present analyses of the latest round of name negotiations in New York, upcoming meeting of the Macedonian, Greek Prime Ministers, Zoran Zaev and Alexisi Tsipras respectively, […]
Moscow, 15 January 2018 – The intensified Macedonia’s name talks is linked to the desire of the United States to bring this country into NATO, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday during his annual press conference in Moscow. Lavrov said that efforts have been in long-standing twilight sleep for number of years and US decided to […]
