Kotzias: From million to 4,000 protesters; Greeks have broken stereotypes

From a million protesters, we’ve gone down to 100,000, and now to 4,000. Greeks have broken stereotypes, Foreign Minister of Greece Nikos Kotzias said Sunday, commenting yesterday’s protests near Prespa.

Immediately after the name deal signing, FM Kotzias met with the Regional Governor of Western Macedonia Theodoros Karipidis.

Karipidis gave Kotzias a resolution from the Western Macedonia Regional Council expressing citizens’ disapproval of the compound name with a geographical qualifier erga omnes.

He also briefed Kotzias on the protests and casualties, to which Kotzias responded pointing out the small number of protesters and wondering if it was indeed ‘a protest or an attempt to stop the signing of the deal.’

“Locals shouldn’t protest,” Kotzias told Karipidis in front of the TV cameras, “because if there’s anything that will benefit them and help them live better, it’s this cooperation between the countries.”