North Macedonia bound by Prespa Agreement, Berlin says

Germany on Monday underscored North Macedonia’s commitment to the Prespa Agreement under international law, urging the Balkan country to maintain its course toward EU membership.

During her inauguration on Sunday, newly-elected President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova of North Macedonia referred to her nation as “Macedonia,” deviating from its constitutional designation as “North Macedonia.”

Responding to a question on this matter from the Athens-Macedonia News Agency (AMNA), German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner said, “The situation is clear-cut: An international legal agreement, known as the Prespa Agreement, is in effect with Greece, and North Macedonia is legally bound by its provisions.”

When pressed on whether this issue might impact North Macedonia’s EU accession process, Wagner refrained from commenting on what he described as speculative matters.

However, he stressed, “It is evident that the Western Balkans should integrate into the EU… As a federal government, we are actively engaged in this regard because we cannot afford gray areas within Europe. Neglecting these gray areas could lead to their exploitation by third parties.”