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WORLD NEWS Thursday 14 June 2018

Macedonia name-change opponents rally forces in 2 countries

By ELENA BECATOROS ner in Tsipras' government,
JASMINA MIRONSKI said he would oppose the
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — agreement in a parliamen-
Macedonia's president said tary vote. This would leave
Wednesday that he would the left-wing prime minis-
not sign off on a historic ter dependent on support
deal that would change from political opponents
the country's name, the to ratify the deal in parlia-
most potentially disrup- ment.
tive reaction so far to the But Tsipras said he expects
agreement with Greece Greek lawmakers to easily
that has received diverging approve the agreement.
reactions in both countries. "(It) won't have trouble in
President Gjorge Ivanov passing," he said during a
said the agreement, which TV interview. "It will be ap-
would rename Mace- proved with a big majority."
donia as the Republic of He also ruled out a Greek
North Macedonia, gave referendum on the name-
too many concessions to change.
Greece. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the
"Such a harmful agree- People demonstrate against the change of the country's constitutional name in front of the head of New Democ-
ment, which is unique in Parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia, Wednesday, June 13. racy, Greece's main op-
the history of mankind, is Associated Press position party, described
shameful and unaccept- the agreement as "deeply
able for me," Ivanov said in from Yugoslavia in 1991. Tsipras and Macedonian reach the deal. In Mace- problematic" and called
a TV address. "It violates the Greece argues that the Prime Minister Zoran Zaev donia, Zaev has said he will on Greece's president to
Constitution (and) the laws term "Macedonia" implies has strong dissenters, with put the deal to a referen- intervene so the deal can
... I will not legalize political a claim on the territory and opponents staging large dum in the fall. be debated in parliament
illegal agreements." ancient heritage of its own protests on both sides of Zaev, accompanied by before it is signed, instead
The deal reached by the northern province of the the border. The issue threat- Foreign Minister Nikola of after.
prime ministers of the two same name — the birth- ened to split Greece's gov- Dimitrov, visited Ivanov On the streets of both capi-
countries is expected to be place of ancient warrior erning coalition, and pro- Wednesday to brief him tals, reactions were mixed.
signed by their foreign min- king Alexander the Great. voked a rift between Zaev on the deal. But Ivanov re- "We lost the country, this is
isters this weekend. After European Council Presi- and his president. fused to discuss the issue. a disaster," 45-year-old law-
that, Macedonia's parlia- dent Donald Tusk and "Everything that is sacred "President Ivanov ... left the yer Mila Ivanovska said in
ment would vote on it, and NATO Secretary General to Macedonia is being meeting, refusing to talk Skopje, the Macedonian
if it is approved, Ivanov's Jens Stoltenberg issued a trampled underfoot, and about the achievements of capital, and began to cry.
signature would be need- statement Wednesday wel- the unborn are deprived this historical agreement," Greek opponents were
ed. coming the deal and ac- of the right and pride to be the government said in a equally angry.
If the president refuses to knowledging that domestic Macedonians," Ivanov said statement. "You, Slavs from Skopje
sign, the deal would return politics still could scuttle it. in his address. "I think Prime Minister Zaev's through the centuries,
to parliament for another "We hope that this unique Up to 1,500 people held a most difficult task will be to you have never been true
vote. Ivanov would have to opportunity to relaunch the peaceful protest against actually explain the deal, Macedonians," said Athe-
sign off on the agreement if wider Western Balkan re- the deal outside Macedo- to build political consen- nian resident Konstandinos
it is passed a second time. gion's European and Euro- nia's parliament in Skopje sus for the implementation Goutras. But for others, the
The name dispute, which Atlantic integration will not late Wednesday, chanting and, of course, the upcom- deal marks a welcome end
has prevented Macedonia be wasted," the statement "Traitors" and blowing whis- ing referendum," said politi- to a protracted dispute.
from joining international said. "This agreement sets tles. cal analyst Petar Arsovski. "North Macedonia is ac-
institutions such as NATO, an example for others on Greek opponents of the Greece's Tsipras also faces ceptable for me," said
has roused strong national- how to consolidate peace deal are planning a rally in opposition at home. Svetlana Jancevska, a
ist sentiments and poisoned and stability across the re- Athens on Friday. Hardliners Defense Minister Panos 55-year-old music teacher
the two countries' relations gion." on both sides are arguing Kammenos, whose right- in Skopje, adding that it will
since the Balkan country The agreement reached that their prime ministers wing Independent Greeks "not damage my identity as
declared independence by Prime Minister Alexis conceded too much to party is the coalition part- Macedonian. q