Athens ready to alert EU to violation of Prespa agreement

Despite the slight change in the public discourse of the future Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, experienced diplomats consider the “stealth war” strategy followed by the new leaders of the neighboring country as a violation of the term “ergo omnes” of the ‘Prespa Agreement – ​​that is, the use of the country’s constitutional name both internally and externally.

Athens is closely monitoring developments and is ready to alert Brussels of any measures violating the agreement.

For its part, the West has already begun to urge North Macedonia’s new leaders to respect the fundamental commitments inherent in all international agreements, such as that of Prespa.

According to informed sources, Mickoski, who is the president of VMRO-DPMNE, does not feel that his government will be pressed for time and believes that as long as it implements the Prespa agreement in its own way (this is that is to say in official documents and ceremonies, as well as abroad, but not in speeches in his country), he can convince European and Western interlocutors of the correctness of his choices.

It is, however, obvious that this position constitutes a blatant violation of the “erga omnes” clearly provided for in the 2019 Prespa agreement.

Even if the Greeks are in no hurry to establish official contacts with the new leaders of North Macedonia, informal contacts exist at different levels, mainly so that Athens understands exactly what Mickoski thinks.

Athens’ concern is also heightened by the VMRO’s ties to anti-Western forces in the region.

It maintains close relations with Viktor Orban’s Hungary and harmonious contacts with Aleksandar Vucic’s Serbia.

Moreover, despite the pro-NATO remarks of the President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the VMRO also has a very good communication channel with Moscow.