Kotzias slams ND over opposition to Prespes deal

Former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias, the architect of the name deal between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), on Thursday slammed the conservative opposition for opposing the agreement.

“The Prespes deal works for you,” Kotzias told opposition lawmakers ahead of a vote Friday. “[The deal] solves a problem which you could not solve and, at the same time, you can also make criticism of the government,” he said.

Kotzias resigned in October after clashing with then defense minister Panos Kammenos over the deal during a cabinet session. 

Kotzias’s criticism was rebutted by former conservative foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis. She said that although the conservative administration of Costas Karamanlis had tried to reach a settlement on the name dispute that was blocked by the government in FYROM which wanted a deal recognizing Macedonian language and nationality.