Former PM says gov’t should have respected Greek sensitivities on name dispute

Former conservative prime minister Costas Karamanlis on Thursday criticised the government for its handling of the Prespes accord, saying it should have respected the sensitivities of Greeks before rushing to make a deal.

“The government should have respected the sensitivity and listen to the legitimate concerns of the large majority of citizens, but also to establish on its own initiative the terms of a basic national consensus,” he said in a statement.

“It is not acceptable for national issues of such importance to lead to tensions that create a divisive climate.”

Karamanlis said the criticism of the accord by main opposition New Democracy is well-argued, adding that negotiations between Athens and Skopje were done “in undue haste,” considering Greece was not in a rush to resolve the dispute.