Kathimerini: Skopje and Athens have already made concessions

As the autumn approaches, like every year, we get information, usually with leaks, regarding the name of Skopje, writes "Kathimerini" in a comment entitled "Sofia, Skopje and the name".


According to the newspaper, "substantive steps have not been taken so far and only the firm positions of Skopje and Athens have been confirmed, reminding that both sides have already made concessions."

- For the first time in the past few years, we have some new data, which under certain conditions can undo the process, but not before the October municipal elections in Skopje, Kathimerini informs.

The text recalls that by the beginning of summer, Greece "had to fight against Gruevski and his nationalist hysteria".

- It suited us and gave us arguments to prevent the Euro-Atlantic perspective of the country, comments "Kathimerini", adding that the previous government "spread anti-Greek poison in public opinion".

- Now what do we do without a scarecrow? Zaev, without completely altering the policy of his predecessor, will not make it a pleasure for us to build other statues or tolerate his senior officials waving a flag of "Greater Macedonia" to Olympus, as former Foreign Minister Milososki did. Not only that, the new government reportedly finally closed old open issues with Bulgaria, the newspaper said.

The first news for Greece, since its close-up between Sofia and Skopje, has already arrived, says "Kathimerini", adding that "prior to the ink drying out of the signing of a friendship agreement, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Zaharieva said Sofia does not agree on the name of FYROM Contains a geographical determinant, such as Northern or Upper Macedonia, because it may hide aspirations for "Pirin Macedonia", the part of the old Macedonia that belonged to Bulgaria. "

- Given that Skopje has already rejected the geographical formula, they now have an ally in Bulgaria, which until yesterday was an ally of Greece. Thus, unofficially created a "front" of Sofia and Skopje against the "red line" of Athens for a complex name with a geographical determinant for all uses (erga omnes), the newspaper concludes, and ultimately adds that things are even more complicated if all of these are Added the categorical opposition to Kamenos, Syriza's partner in the Greek government, who does not accept the name to contain "the word Macedonia or its derivative".