The two former heads of government Alexis Tsipras (Greece) and Zoran Zaev (Macedonia) receive the International Peace of Westphalia Award.
Ex-Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev have made a difference in the 'name dispute over Macedonia' over stability in the entire region of the Balkans. This was the reason given on Wednesday by the Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe (WWL), located in Germany. The WWL awards the prize as a founder every two years.
The chairman of the Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe, Dr. Reinhard Zinkann, quoting the reason given by the international jury when he revealed the secret of this year's award winners early on Wednesday evening: “By agreeing on the decades-long conflict over the name of Macedonia, Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev have achieved a feat of diplomacy, which is very significant contribution for stability in the entire region of the Balkans ”.
"Both heads of government at the time, but especially the (former) Greek premier, subordinated their personal careers to political reason, regardless of their remaining in their offices," Zinkannn continued. "Without Tsipras and Zaev, the dispute over the name would not have come to an end in the long term and the neighborly feud would have further destabilized the entire Balkan region."
The german Economic Society for Westphalia and Lippe awards the Price in memory of the key points of the Peace of Westphalia concluded in 1648: religious peace, tolerance and federalism.
"Personalities or representatives of states that have become the model for peace work in Europe and the world," are honored with the Award says the WWL. Previous winners include Helmut Kohl, Kofi Annan, Helmut Schmidt and Daniel Barenboim.
