VMRO-DPMNE: Zaev demolishes Macedonia’s position in name dispute with his frivolous approach


Zoran Zaev, for a renowned international media, reports that he is prepared for certain concessions regarding the Greek demands for changing the Constitution, and then the government tries to correct and clarify its positions. Zoran Zaev with the frivolous approach demolishes Macedonia’s positions in the dispute and inflicts huge damage on national interests, VMRO-DPMNE says. […]

Zaev did not propose names for Macedonia


Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev did not say that our country is ready for minor changes in the name in the Constitution, the government’s cabinet said, reacting to parts of his interview with the Reuters agency undertaken, as noted by some of the Macedonian media. “The Cabinet of the President of the Government categorically claims […]

Tzanakopoulos: No name solution if neighboring country lacks willingness


Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, spokesman of the Greek government, said Tuesday that Greece’s stance and preconditions were clear, while the neighboring country was the one that needed to demonstrate willingness for an agreement, otherwise there would be no solution. “We have said what the preconditions are to reach an agreement. Thus, if our neighbors are willing to […]

Bakoyannis: Name package, not partial solution


Greek opposition party New Democracy says the name dispute should be a package solution, not a partial one. MP and former foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis has also criticized the Greek government over the way it is conducting the negotiations, MIA reports from Athens. “The Tsipras government has launched the negotiations without knowing the aim. We […]

Tzanakopoulos: Amending of neighbor’s constitution – Greek government’s firm negotiating position


The request for the neighboring country to amend its constitution is a firm negotiating stance of Greece’s government, spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos says in an interview with the radio ‘Real FM’. Tzanakopoulos once again notifies his country’s stances related to settling the Athens-Skopje name dispute, MIA reports from the Greek capital. Greece stands for a complex […]

Zaev for Euronews: No need to change the Constitution


“There is no need to change the Constitution. It is a home rule-book. It does not implicate the outside,” Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said in an interview for Euronews, MIA Athens correspondent reports. “We amended the Constitution in 1993,” Zaev said, “because of the feelings of our Greek friends. They wanted to be more […]

“Ta Nea”: Names in draft-treaty in Macedonian, without translation, as one word


Athens prefers that the new name is in Macedonian language, without translation and as one word, reads Greek daily “Ta Nea” in Monday’s analysis of the draft-treaty that Greece will present to Macedonia, MIA reports from Athens. The paper claims that Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias handed over the 20-page document to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras […]

Zaev interview with ‘Der Spiegel’: Name without translation not acceptable


Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says in an interview with German weekly Der Spiegel he expects a solution over the name issue, claims it is not necessary to change the constitution and a possible agreement can be guaranteed by an international treaty, while adding that a name without translation is unacceptable. PM Zaev says he cannot […]

PM Zaev: Macedonia and Greece will find ‘dignified’ name solution


Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Sunday he was confident that Macedonia and Greece would manage to find a dignified solution to the name dispute. “I believe a solution will be found, which will be dignified for both sides, a solution that won’t encroach the identity of the Macedonian people and also won’t encroach the identity […]

Bosnjakovski: Germany not getting involved in name negotiations


Germany isn’t wading in to settle the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece, government spokesman Mile Bosnjakovski said Wednesday commenting today’s visit of PM Zoran Zaev to Berlin, where he is scheduled to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Yesterday, she had a phone conversation with Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras ahead of their meeting in Brussels on […]

Bakoyannis: We want a package deal the whole international community will accept


The whole international community, including the countries that have been using the name ‘Macedonia’ bilaterally, should accept the solution, said former Foreign Minister of Greece Dora Bakoyannis in a TV interview, MIA’s Athens correspondent reports. “We want a solution the whole international community will accept. That’s the goal because currently they are being called ‘Macedonia’ by […]

PM Tsipras, Chancellor Merkel discuss name dispute in phone call


Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had a phone conversation with Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss several issues, including the name dispute, Tsipras’ office said Tuesday. “The two leaders discussed developments relating to the negotiations on the FYROM name issue, provocative Turkish activity in the Aegean, and Turkey’s relations with the European Union,” read a […]

Ex-Greek ambassador Kaklikis – moderate optimist for name solution


Moderate optimism for finding a solution to the name issue has been expressed by the former Greek ambassador to Macedonia, George Kaklikis. Speaking to CNN.gr, he referred to his tenure as ambassador to Macedonia, especially the year 2001 when Macedonia and Greece had been very close to reaching a solution after the Greek government had initiated […]

Zaev: Macedonia hopes to settle name dispute with Greece by July


Macedonia expects to reach a settlement of its decades-old name row with Greece by a NATO summit in the summer, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told Austrian radio station ORF, Reuters reports. “I believe we will be able to conclude the negotiations successfully by the NATO summit in July,” says PM Zaev. He adds, “We have an […]

Greek Minister Gerovasili: Perfect momentum for name negotiations


The Athens-Skopje name negotiations have reached a prefect momentum, contrary to the claims of opposition New Democracy leader that there are no favorable circumstances at the moment for a solution, Greek Minister of Administrative Reform Olga Gerovasili says in an interview with the new agency ANA-MPA. ‘At the moment the negotiations are underway under the […]

Opposition leader Mitsotakis slams Greek PM over poor handling of name negotiations


Everybody is already aware that the government handling of Skopje-Athens name negotiations has been wrong from the start, leader of Greek opposition New Democracy Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a speech before his party’s parliamentary group. ‘Without a plan, guarantees they (the government) has started to give in everything being satisfied only with two symbolic gestures […]

NATO chief Stoltenberg calls for flexibility in name talks


NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called for flexibility in the negotiations over the name of Macedonia. According to him, NATO in 2008 at the Bucharest Summit had decided to invite Macedonia to join the Alliance as soon as Skopje solved the name issue in a mutually acceptable manner. It was impossible to reach a settlement […]