Mitsotakis: Statement by North Macedonia's newly appointed president 'illegal and provocative'

"The provocative choice of the new President of North Macedonia to violate the official text of her oath and call her country by a different name is an illegal and impermissible initiative. An act, which violates the Prespa Agreement and the very Constitution of her state. [While] also undermining its future, however, as already stated by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council Charles Michel," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote on Facebook on Monday.

The prime minister added:

"It is known that, as the opposition, New Democracy voted against the 2019 Agreement. In fact, warning of the problems that its failures would create. As a government, however, we respected the Greek signature to an international treaty, binding for the country. Unfortunately, the recent development vindicates our steadfastly cautious position."

And he underlined: "Greece rejects manipulations like those with which Mrs. Siljanovska is opening her term. It calls on her to return to her legal duties and to the behaviors that arise from her role. We categorically state that we will not accept such slips. And we repeat that any progress in bilateral relations, as well as any step taken by Skopje towards Europe, depend on the sincere observance of the agreements. From the correct use of the constitutional name of the neighbouring country. And, of course, from avoiding provocations."