Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greece will use the accession process to make “corrections” in the implementation of the Prespa Treaty with Macedonia, signaling that Macedonia can expect new demands and conditions as it waits to open its EU accession talks.

Mitsotakis opposed the Prespa Treaty when it was signed by the left wing SYRIZA party, but did not move to nullify it once he got in power. In a TV interview, he said that he is a “serious politician” who knows that treaties can’t be changed. Mitsotakis said that Greece will strive to have the best possible relations with Macedonia and to expand the Greek economic influence over Macedonia. But on the divisive issues of national identity that the Greek right believes were badly regulated with the Prespa Treaty, Mitsotakis said that he will use leverage Greece has through the EU accession process.

Bulgaria is currently blocking the EU accession talks as it demands concessions similar to the ones Greece obtained, that will redefine the Macedonian national identity. Greek politicians object to the parts of the treaty that allow Macedonians to self-identify as Macedonians, albeit only in the sense of citizenship, and to refer to the Macedonian language. The Zaev regime triumphantly declared that, with this, Greece recognized the Macedonian nation and the Macedonian language, and many in Greece took offense with this claim.