Mitsotakis slams gov’t for ‘dividing Greeks’ over name dispute

Conservative opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday called upon the leftist-led government to “stop dividing Greeks” over the name dispute with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

In comments made during a tour in northern Greece, Mitsotakis accused the government of engaging in “secret diplomacy” and requested that the opposition be briefed on developments regarding the ongoing talks.

“I also ask of the government to stop dividing the Greeks. And to stop identifying people who are particularly sensitive on the name issue with the far right,” the New Democracy leader said.

In response to the unanimous decision by the Holy Synod on Wednesday not to “back down” from its opposition to the use of the word “Macedonia” in any form, government officials likened the stance of the Church on the issue to that of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.