North Macedonia president asserts right to use ‘Macedonia’ term
North Macedonia’s new president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, affirmed on Friday her respect for the Prespa Agreement but asserted her “personal right to use the term ‘Macedonia’.”
Responding to journalists in Ohrid, Siljanovska claimed that how she uses the country’s name “is a matter of personal determination, a right secured by acts higher than those in bilateral agreements.”
She stated her intention to “persuade” Greece of the “correctness” of her claims and added that she has a plan for how to proceed. “Of course, I have a plan. The plan is to build good neighborly relations,” Siljanovska said.
Regarding warnings from Greece about a potential appeal to the International Court of Justice for non-compliance with the Prespa Agreement, Siljanovska referenced a previous decision of the same court in 2011. “I don’t believe we will immediately go to court. There is a gradation in the Prespa Agreement,” Siljanovska stated.
The action of North Macedonia’s new president has sparked strong reactions from the Greek side and has been condemned by the EU and the US.
