The uniqueness of the Macedonian language is universally recognized and confirmed in the United Nations, says former mediator in the name dispute Matthew Nimetz.

Talking in an interview with TV Kanal 5 about the Sofia-Skopje relations and that the identity and language were not part of the Prespa Agreement, but are being now disputed by Bulgaria, Nimetz said that for the Greek side the problem was not the identity but the name of the language, and that in the Bulgaria case it is a different dispute.

The dispute with Bulgaria is different in terms of the origin of the languages. I am not an expert on that, it was not an issue in the Prespa Agreement, but it is an issue they want to discuss, so it is a subject of discussion, Nimetz said.

Asked if one could discuss one’s identity, which is an inner sense of belonging, Nimetz was clear that identity could not be up for negotiations.

He also believes that mediation is not needed to overcome the misunderstandings between Skopje and Sofia, but that both sides should resolve the issue themselves.