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Print VersionMacedonia's Gruevski rejects Nimetz's proposal in name dispute with Greece
25/08/2008
SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski on Sunday (August 24th) rejected an idea presented by UN envoy Matthew Nimetz during their recent meeting in Skopje to resolve the long-standing name dispute between Macedonia and Greece. "One of the ideas presented by Nimetz is to have one name for all foreign use. That is unacceptable for us, and there we stopped. We agreed in some matters, but this is something we could not accept," Gruevski said.
"Greece has deep and serious problems … [A] serious scandal breaks out almost every two weeks. It needs to focus on the name issue because the government is faced with early elections due to the scandals… It is structuring its policy in such a way that it can avoid finding a solution because… it believes [a solution to the name dispute] will damage it in the next elections," Gruevski said, spurring a sharp reaction from Athens. In response, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis issued a statement saying these "intransigent and provocative comments … go beyond all reason. It confirms the untenable position in which he has chosen to put himself." (Kathimerini - 25/08/08; MIA, Makfax, RTS - 24/08/08)
