Poll shows majority of Greeks are against Prespes accord

The majority of Greeks are opposed to the agreement achieved last June between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to resolve a decades-old dispute on the latter's name, according to a poll on issues of foreign affairs, published by Public Issue on Monday.

The monthly political barometer, conducted by phone on November 6-16, showed 65 percent of people said they oppose it, versus 17 percent in favor and 13 percent who said they are neither in favor not against. Another 5 percent said they are not interested or have no opinion on the deal.

As to their opinion on former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias, one of the main architects of the Athens-Skopje agreement, 60 percent of participants said they have a negative view of him, 32 percent said they had a positive view and 9 percent they did not have any opinion on the politician. 

Asked to comment on whether Greek-Turkish relations have improved, deteriorated or remained the same compared to a year ago, 52 percent of respondents said they are worse, 44 percent said they are unchanged and just 2 percent said they have improved.

The poll also asked the Greek public's opinion about FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, for whom 53 percent have a negative view, 28 percent had a positive view and 19 percent did not have an opinion.

Respondents also commented on US Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, with 39 percent said they did not have an opinion about him, 31 percent saying they held a negative view and 29 percent saying they had a positive view.