Tzanakopoulos: Compound name should be accepted as constitutional

The new compound name once we reach an agreement should be also the constitutional name of the neighboring country, a spokesman of the Greek government told a press briefing on Monday after being asked by a MIA correspondent on whether Greece would accept a name that would be used only internationally, but not within the country.

“By definition it is impossible… We cannot talk about a name that should be used by everyone all the while excluding someone, i.e. the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia itself. In order to reach a mutually acceptable solution, it is necessary to see a constitutional revision and acceptance on part of FYROM,” stated Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, who also serves as minister without portfolio.

Asked about the state of the negotiations following the talks of the foreign ministers in Ohrid and which issues remained still open, Tzanakopoulos responded: Greece has set two preconditions for finding a name settlement – first a compound name and secondly erga omnes, which require a change of the neighbor’s constitution. ” Any solution must meet these two conditions in order to be viable and fair”, he concluded.