Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski told the Greek Alpha television that the future implementation of the Prespa treaty will be put on hold until Macedonia is allowed to open its EU accession talks. If confirmed that Pendarovski is speaking for the Zaev Government as well, it constitute a major new blow to the imposed name change. Zaev already began implementing the name “North Macedonia” domestically, despite the article in the Prespa treaty tying its implementation with the opening of EU accession talks. The shock from Brussels last week seems to have jarred the Government awake.
Speaking about the entire package, we already implemented the new name domestically, and I can tell you that it was the most difficult part or us, Pendarovski told Alpha, adding that implementation will now be put on hold domestically but in foreign correspondence as well.
In one of his rambling press conferences following the decision in Brussels, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev also hinted at the use of article 1(10) which ties the Prespa treaty to the opening of EU accession talks, regardless whether Greece or some other country is blocking the talks.
Pendarovski insisted that the entire purpose of the treaty was to unblock Macedonia’s EU accession, and said that it is not just or fair to see the talks get vetoed again anyway. “We wanted to be part of the European Union but now there is no European Union”.
On the part of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, its international secretary Timco Mucunski, also in an interview with a Greek TV station, made it clear that the Prespa treaty will be challenged by Macedonia. Mucunski, who refuses to use the name “North Macedonia” said that this will be best done when Macedonia is inside the European Union.
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