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 – the renaming of one road and one airport. They even put the basic issues – irredentism and constitutional changes – on the table upon the New Democracy’s demand. It hasn’t been clear yet whether these changes are the necessary condition for any talks on the name to resume, as we wish for,’ Mitsotakis said, notifying that ‘the unity of all (political) parties should be the country’s weapon’.

He considers that (PM Alexis) Tsipras ‘is once again playing the card of division’ wishing, but failing to divide the opposition.

‘He wished to do the same with the citizens when he referred to those taking part in the protesters as radical rightist,’ Mitsotakis said.

Even the government coalition, he said, is divided on the name issue – SYRIZA voicing one, while the Independent Greeks another position. Many ministers in the cabinet have until recently supported the solution ‘Macedonia’, and have not yet denied this unacceptable position, Mitsotakis said.