The former Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, made an interesting proposal at the International Conference in Athens on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the signing of the Prespa Agreement:
“North Macedonia’s accession to the EU was promised. And what did the EU do? First the French veto, for changing the methodology, then came the veto from Bulgaria. What should we do now? Let’s say to Bulgaria – we will never let you into Schengen until you lift the veto for N. Macedonia. This is a good suggestion and should be considered. But is that a way to focus on quarrels instead of common progress?,” Kotzias said and reiterated that the attitude of the EU towards N. Macedonia, but also to its own promises is impermissible and creates an atmosphere in the region of big, open problems because their solution is in vain.
On June 17, 2018, in Nivici, Prespa, Kotzias and the then Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Dimitrov, signed the Prespa Agreement, which resolved the 30-year name dispute with Greece, with which Macedonia changed its name to North Macedonia.
