Greek PM pledges to seek name solution with ‘patriotic responsibility’


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 with ‘patriotic responsibility.’

“I pledge that in the coming future I will seek with patriotic responsibility a mutually acceptable solution,” the PM stated, ANA-MPA reported.

Tsipras said that “it is the Greek government and my own, responsibility to close as many possible fronts and to build a new dynamic image”

As regards the name dispute, the Greek PM said that he briefed the political leaders in detail and explained them that “an opportunity window has opened as FYROM’s new political leadership shows willingness to negotiate for a mutually acceptable solution to a problem that undermined our relations in the last 25 years”.

He said that the Macedonian political leadership had abandoned ‘the irredentist rhetoric of the previous years’ and referred to his counterpart Zoran Zaev and his announcement that the government would rename the Skopje airport and the highway.

“We have made progress in the last period but a long way remains to be covered to reach a mutually acceptable solution of a compound name erga omnes,” said Tsipras and explained “everybody must understand that a non solution will be against Greece’s interest and against the stability in the wider region”.

The Greek PM also called for “realism, prudence, modesty and spirit of understanding if we want to serve the national interest,” ANA-MPA reported.