Athens waves second veto
Diplomats in Athens yesterday told Kathimerini Greece would veto Skopje’s bid to start accession talks with the European Union if the neighboring country persists with its intransigent stance in the Macedonia name dispute. The comments followed fresh statements by Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Premier Nikola Gruevski, conceding that his country is unlikely to get the go-ahead from Brussels unless the name row is settled, while blaming Athens for the impasse. «I have said many times that the dispute with Greece over the name and the barriers being erected by Greece are the key to Macedonia’s accession to the EU,» Gruevski said. FYROM’s premier admitted that there had been little progress in the name talks, adding that Skopje would be unlikely to be given a launch date for accession talks this year if this situation does not change by November. Gruevski is due to meet the UN mediator in the name dispute, Matthew Nimetz, on Thursday.
