Tags Prespa Agreement
Tag: Prespa Agreement
Institutions, borders and state bodies to receive new “Prespa” signs
At the 117th Government meeting held yesterday, one of the first points was the Information on the implementation of the Prespa Agreement. The measures and activities that are in accordance with the amendments to the Constitution were considered and the Government will have to take over the obligations seven days after the Agreement comes into force, i.e. by ratifying the Protocol for...
Five more steps to the chair at the NATO table
After the Greek parliament, with 153 votes in favor, ratified the Prespa Agreement between Macedonia and Greece, now, there are five left of the seven formal steps that separate Macedonia from full-fledged NATO membership.
The process, according to some announcements, should finish at the end of the year or early next year.
The first and second step, that is, the formal implementation of...
“Obituaries” for Macedonia handed out in Thessaloniki
Today, a few opponents to the Prespa Agreement in Thessaloniki, in front of the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace, handed out "obituaries" to passers-by with the name "Macedonia" written on it, protesting and calling it a "betrayal on Greek Macedonia".
"Today we bury Macedonia" says the text, and is signed by "Mother Greece, Macedonian children and Macedonians".
At 2:30 pm today, Greek parliament is scheduled to vote...
Greek Parliament ratifies Prespa Agreement
The Greek Parliament this afternoon ratified the Prespa Agreement which was signed by Macedonia and Greece, with 153 MPs’ voting to end the name dispute which has lasted nearly three decades.
All 300 MPs were asked the question of whether they are "for", or "against", or would “abstain" concerning the ratification of the Prespa Agreement.
Of all the MPs, 153 were...
Zaev meets with Hahn and Stoltenberg: It’s time to direct our efforts towards the reforms
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, together with the Vice Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Kocho Angjushev and the Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, at the World Economy Forum at Davos, Switzerland met with the EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn and the NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The government informs that at the meeting with Hahn it was concluded that the implementation of...
Nimetz: The rejection of the Prespa Agreement can have dangerous consequences
The rejection of the Prespa Agreement and its debacle can have deep and even dangerous consequences, remarked the special UN envoy Matthew Nimetz in the interview for the Greek news agency ANA -MPA, regarding the talks between Skopje and Athens about the name dispute.
-A new agreement and a quick solution in case if the Prespa Agreement fails are not...
Greek Parliament starts the process of ratification of the Prespa Agreement
For the draft law on the ratification of the Prespa Agreement to come into force, it will be discussed today by the Commission for National Defense and Foreign Affairs in Greek Parliament.
On Saturday, the draft law was submitted to Greek Parliament, and is expected to be passed by Friday.
Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis is expected to hold a meeting with the...
Kiracovski claims that he has the minimum of 80 MPs that will vote in favor of the constitutional amendments
SDSM's General Secretary and an MP, Aleksandar Kiracovski at the press conference that took place today at the Parliament informed that the government has secured the support of minimum 80 MPs necessary for the passing of the constitutional amendments.
-By initiating the constitutional changes, Macedonia is becoming a part of the EU and NATO. People often ask me whether we...
Zaev: We will know if there is a majority for constitutional changes on the day of the vote
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is optimistic that the required majority will be secured in Parliament for the vote on constitutional changes, but says the number of MPs will be known on the day of the vote.
"We will know the final number on the day of the vote. The session is scheduled for January 9, and according to the statements...
Stoltenberg: Skopje and Athens to ratify the Prespa Agreement by February 15
NATO urges the parliaments of Macedonia and Greece to fulfill all their obligations regarding the Prespa Agreement that resolves the name dispute. That was the main stipulation of the letter that the NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reportedly sent to both Skopje and Athens, noting that the Alliance expects as fast as possible process.
"NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reportedly sent a...
TOP 5 2018 CounterSpins: The main spinning topics
To choose five spins that were unspinned in our article “Kontraspin” is quite a small number for everything that happened throughout 2018, in which the truth was twisted. The slogans “we do not give the name” or “you sold the name”, was the major twisting of the truth i.e. spinning in 2018, and this topic was immediately followed by...
Ivanov: Pandora’s Box is open and now everyone has the right to deny what’s ours
The Macedonian knot can not be cut, it needs to be carefully undone. I worked on undoing that knot. I was aware that there were red lines which couldn’t be crossed. Someone who thought that he could cut the knot and solve the Macedonian question at any cost came to power. Pandora's box is open and now everyone has...
Xhaferi will not run in upcoming presidential elections
At a briefing with journalists, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi said he will not be running in the upcoming presidential election and will remain president of Parliament.
As for the idea of Parliament electing the head of state, Xhaferi says that all parliamentary groups should decide, and if there is a consensus, a change to the Constitution should be passed, which would legally...
Maslov: Russia doesn’t oppose Macedonia’s new name, it opposes NATO membership
Russia doesn't oppose the Prespa Agreement regarding the name but it opposes Macedonia's membership into NATO, said Russian Ambassador to Greece, Andrej Maslov during a briefing in Athens regarding the visit of the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras in Moscow.
- If Athens and Skopje reach an agreement about the name and if that is officially accepted by the Republic of Macedonia's...
Zaev – Tusk: If Macedonia continues at this pace, it can make up for lost time for EU integration
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, accompanied by Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, started their working visit to Brussels with a meeting with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk.
At the meeting, it was concluded that the country’s determination to resolve the major political issues with neighbours and bringing reforms in the key areas of the judiciary, security services, public administration,...
Seven amendments for constitutional changes were lodged
The Parliament has received seven amendments of the draft-amendments of the Constitution where two were lodged by the Alliance of the Albanians, one from Besa, one from SDSM's MP, Muhamed Zekiri and three from the VMRO-DPMNE's independent MP group and the coalition. Only the MP groups of the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, nor SDSM's or DUI's MP groups hadn't lodged...
Nimetz: I am ready to help Macedonia and Greece if necessary
The Prespa Agreement is a very important step for the region's stability and relations between Macedonia and Greece, said UN special envoy, Matthew Nimetz, after a meeting with acting foreign minister, George Katrougalos.
-Obviously, the political process in both countries is making progress, and me as the UN envoy remain ready to help. If both sides need my help, the UN...
Opposition MPs who voted for constitutional changes deny Lavrov’s claims
Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the Greek daily newspaper "Ekathiremini", today announced that he blamed the United States an the EU for brutal systematic interference in the internal affairs of Macedonia.
In that context, he said that "On October 19, "Parliament passed a resolution on constitutional changes by blackmailing and bribing MPs from the opposition in...
Palmer: Macedonia could become a NATO member by 2020
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Palmer said in Sarajevo yesterday that Macedonia could join NATO by mid-2020 if it implemented the Prespa Agreement and therefore resolved the decades-long dispute with Greece.
According to him, Macedonia could become the 30th NATO member "as early as 18 months".
"It's a realistic goal," Palmer said.
The same message...
2/3 of the steps towards the changes in the Constitution have been done
Up until this moment, the ruling majority has managed to finish 2/3 of the phases that are necessary to accomplish the changes in the Constitution with the constitutional amendments in accordance to the Prespa Agreement between Macedonia and Greece. Out of 15 steps, 5 remain to be done. In the process, the Government that proposed the changes, will need...
