Independent Greeks: We do not accept a name that includes the term ‘Macedonia’


The Greek government junior coalition partner Independent Greeks (ANEL), headed by Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, sticks to the position against including the term Macedonia in the name of our country. The party’s strong position was once again reiterated by the ANEL’s spokeswoman Madalena Papadopoulou in an interview with RealFM radio. “We cannot accept the name …

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‘Avgi’: Name agreement to be endorsed by larger parliamentary majority


European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini seem to support the need for parliamentary endorsement of a possible name agreement by a larger majority, reads Greek daily “Avgi”. The paper claims that Athens has received advice and recommendation from Brussels to increase the majority required for a ‘green light’ to …

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Pavlopoulos: First constitutional review, then NATO and EU membership for FYROM


The integration of FYROM into NATO and the EU requires a name solution, which prescribes the constitutional review and the elimination of irredentism, said Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos in his address after being proclaimed an honorary citizen of the municipality of Peonia. – There is one way forward for the integration of FYROM into NATO and …

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 VMRO-DPMNE calls for urgent leaders’ meeting on name negotiations


The opposition VMRO-DPMNE called Sunday for an urgent leaders’meeting, at which Primer Zoran Zaev and Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov in the presence of President Gjorge Ivanov would brief on the details and pace of Skopje-Athens name negotiations. VMRO-DPMNE secretary general Igor Janusev told a press conference on Sunday that the party leader, Hristijan Mickovski, cut …

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Greek media: Solution to name issue in the hands of PMs Zaev and Tsipras


Conveying the statement of the UN mediator in Athens-Skopje name negotiations, Matthew Nimetz, Greek media reported Sunday that now the solution to the matter is in the hands of Prime Ministers Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras. ‘Tsipras-Zaev meeting: New window for Solution’; ‘Skopje issue: The Baton in the PMs’ Hands; ‘Sounio revives ambitions for settling …

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To Vima: Interim agreement now, solving language and identity issues within two years


Greek media reports indicate that Athens and Skopje  are heading rapidly toward a new interim agreement that will enshrine the new name of the northern neighbor – sources say Upper Macedonia – and give the country two years to change its constitution and establish use of  the new name at home. ‘The UN Security Council …

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FM Dimitrov: Our duty is to come to a solution that will enable the PMs to meet and shake hands


Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov considers  the meeting with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias and UN mediator Matthew Nimetz, which to take place Saturday in Sounio, as rather significant, MIA reports from Athens. ‘It is a fact that we have entered the most delicate phase. Tomorrow is a day of great significance, as the meeting is taking place only few …

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Dimitrov-Kotzias-Nimetz meeting on Saturday in Sounio, Greece


Tomorrow in Sounio near Athens, Dimitrov, Kotzias and Nimetz will continue the name negotiations on which depends Macedonia’s accession to the European Union. It remains to be seen whether the parties this time will be able to overcome the differences about the problematic issues. The new meeting in Athens is preceded by a meeting between …

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PM Zaev: Name dispute solution will bring overall prosperity to Macedonia


Prime Minister Zoran Zaev expects good news from Athens ahead of tomorrow’s fresh round of name talks in Greece’s capital. ‘My optimism is based in the progress made thus far. I am pleased to say that we (this government) are recording results in spheres that nobody has ever managed to achieve for the last 27 years. I’ll …

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 45 percent of Greeks have understanding for compound name including term ‘Macedonia’


Forty-five percent of Greeks have an understanding for the perspective of a compound name including term ‘Macedonia’, show results of a survey of agency Prorata released by newspaper “Ethnos”. In the survey, 23 percent said the perspective of recognizing FYROM with a compound name including term Macedonia causes anger, 14 percent responded they are ashamed …

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Zaev: Macedonia and Greece together can find name solution ahead of EU Council


I believe that Macedonia and Greece together can reach a solution prior to the Council of the EU, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said answering questions at a news conference on Wednesday. Asked when he expected a name solution to be sent to the UN, Zaev said the parties were ‘not far away from reaching a solution, …

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FM Dimitrov to attend quadripartite meeting in Thessaloniki


At the invitation of Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, Nikola Dimitrov will attend the third quadripartite meeting between the FMs of Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia taking place in Thessaloniki on May 3 and 4. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other ministers and high representatives from all four countries’ Ministries of Internal Affairs and …

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Dimitrov-Kotzias meeting in Thessaloniki this week


The frequent contacts between the heads of diplomacy of Macedonia and Greece, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias, in the last period, continue this week in Thessaloniki. Both on Thursday and Friday will participate in the quadrilateral forum featuring their colleagues from Bulgaria and Albania. The previous Dimitrov-Kotzias meeting was last week in Vienna on the …

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Ambassador Pryatt: Great progress made in negotiations


Great progress made in negotiations We believe that great progress has been made in the negotiations and we hope that this progress can be maintained, but time will tell, US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt said, Greek news agency ANA-MPA reports. Pyatt spoke at the event in Thessaloniki before graduated students at American Universities and answering …

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Tusk on the name dispute: The impossible can become possible


The impossible becomes possible, European Council President Donald Tusk said Friday in regard to the process for settling Athens-Skopje dispute over Macedonia’s name. Speaking at a joint press conference with leaders of the Brdo-Brijuni Process, Tusk voiced satisfaction with the tangible progress of the name talks, which to a great extent ‘is a result of the efforts …

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Silegov: Historic day for Skopje and Athens


The municipalities of Skopje and Athens signed Friday an agreement for cooperation. The document was signed by the mayors of the capitals of Macedonia and Greece, Petre Silegov and Georgios Kaminis respectively. “After signing the agreement, Skopje and Athens will start sharing information, experiences, new practices and nourishing cooperation in various spheres of our duties and competences, …

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