Dragi Raskovski, Secretary General of the Government, threatened the office of President Gjorge Ivanov with consequences if the President doesn’t begin to use the name “Republic of North Macedonia” on his web site and in other communication. President Ivanov rejects the name change imposed on Macedonia and continues to use the name Republic of Macedonia.

Aware of the President’s position on the issue, Raskovski, who is tasked with implementing the deeply unpopular deal, threatened the staffer who managers the President’s web site with legal action if he doesn’t comply. Raskovski claims that all state institutions had to alter their web sites, online communications, logos.. within three days of the ratification of the Prespa treaty.

This is not the first time the Government has threatened Ivanov with prosecuting his associates, but it has failed to make him budge in the name dispute. The President refused to sign the Prespa treaty or the amendments to rename Macedonia, and they were published with the signature of the Speaker of Parliament Talat Xhaferi, opening a likely legal dispute in the future.