Mogherini says FYROM name deal ‘unique opportunity for reconciliation’
The name deal reached between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is a “unique opportunity for reconciliation,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told state-run news agency ANA-MPA in an interview published on Sunday.
FYROM’s parliament will begin on Monday deliberations to change the country’s constitution and its name under the agreement signed by Athens and Skopje last June.
The government needs to secure two thirds of the parliament's lawmakers, or 80 out of 120 votes.
“Our position is clear: the European Union fully supports the agreement reached. This is a unique opportunity for reconciliation in South East Europe, which is also in the interest of Greece, an opportunity that might not come again any time soon,” Mogherini was quoted as saying by ANA-MPA.
The EU official said Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev showed “political courage, leadership [and] responsibility” in overcoming the 27-year-old name dispute over FYROM’s name.
Asked whether the deal would bring stability in the Balkans, Mogherini said it can contribute “to the transformation of the entire region of South-East Europe.”
“Fostering good neighbourly relations helps us work together to address the many opportunities and challenges we share, including in fields such as security and migration,” she added.
