Leader of North Macedonia’s VMRO party insists on using the term ‘Macedonia’

North Macedonia’s leader of the center-right nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party, Christian Mitskoski, has insisted on using the term “Macedonia,” instead of the country’s constitutional name, Ekathimerini has reported.

Mitskoski’s actions come after North Macedonia’s newly-elected president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, sparked a diplomatic spat with Greece by referring to her country as “Macedonia,” rather than the constitutional name “North Macedonia.”

At the time, Greece’s government pointed out that the new president’s deliberate avoidance of the country’s constitutional name was a “gross violation” of the 2018 Prespa Agreement and warned of consequences in bilateral relations and for North Macedonia’s prospects of joining the European Union.

Mitskoski has since praised Siljanovska-Davkova’s stance as “dignified” in referring to their country as “Macedonia.”

“If Greece believes we violated the Prespa Agreement, let them appeal to the International Court of Justice,” he stated. “We don’t expect relations between the two countries to be based on displays of power; we expect good and excellent neighbourly relations.”

Mitskoski’s statement contradicts one by North Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry on Monday which affirmed the country’s “unwavering commitment to fully respect constitutional provisions and all internationally assumed obligations,” including the Prespa Agreement signed with Greece.

Source: Ekathimerini