A sudden government crisis, as if we didn’t have enough crises… Defense Minister Panos Kammenos wants the resignation of Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas for having called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) simply “Macedonia”.
Minister Mouzalas spoke out the No-No name during an interview with private Skai TV on Tuesday night.
The ‘Macedonia” name dispute arose in 1991 between Greece and its north neighbor, when FYROM seceded from Yugoslavia and declared its independence under the name “Republic of Macedonia”, a name Greece would never accept for historical and geographical reasons.
Within minutes after Mouzalas’ “Macedonia”, an outrage broke out and conservative main opposition party New Democracy demanded his resignation.
Mouzalas immediately apologized for his “gaff” as he called it and said ” I was taken away while speaking, I probably did not understand what I said.”
The Prime Minister’s office tried to calm down the raging nationalist spirits saying “the noise it exaggerated, it was probably due to the speaking mode” and that “officially the name is FYROM.”
However, the PM office made its calculations without its coalition government partner, nationalist Independent Greeks. ANEL-leader and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos tweeted at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday:
Δεν αρκεί η συγνώμη Μουζάλα ζητώ την παραίτηση του
— Panos Kammenos (@PanosKammenos) March 15, 2016
“Apology is not enough I ask for his resignation”
UPDATE: Wednesday morning and the Crisis keeps going
Tsipra’s coalition government partner and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos insists on Mouzalas’ resignation! Speaking to Mega TV on Wednesday morning, Kammenos repeated his demand and said that “mistakes and gaffs have to be paid”.
Live reporting starts here as issue is crucial
11:30
Greek media report that “Minister Mouzalas submitted resignation” – However no official confirmation yet
11:45
PM Alexis Tsipras and ANEL leader Panos Kammenos are currently holding a meeting over Mouzalas. Meeting started at 11:30
11:50
Yiannis Mouzalas left Athens for Brussels this morning. He is scheduled to brief the European Parliament on the Refugee & Migration crisis at 3 pm (Brussels time)
11:55
an ANEL MP told private STAR TV, that “if Mouzalas does not resign, ANEL Parliamentary group to meet tomorrow to decide what to do.”
Will the ANEL abandon the coalition government amid crucial issues like EU-Turkey Summit on Migration March 17-18 and with bailout review negotiations with the lenders?
12:00
The name that caused the crisis – Wednesday night, Minister Mouzalas was speaking on TV about Sunday’s action where hundreds of refugees crossed the river to FYROM.
Mouzalas: “they had them to cross over to Macedonia”
12:15
Tsipras – Kammenos meeting continues.
Nationalist Kammenos allied with his former party, conservative New Democracy to oust on of Government’s most respected Ministers
12:17
Angelina Jolie is touring Piraeus port, meets refugees
12:30
Minister Mouzalas is scheduled to meet with some MEP at 13:20 and deliver a speech in European Parliament at 15:00 – both CET time. Nothing has been cancelled so far.
12:53
Tsipras – Kammenos meeting continues.
13:25
ANEL-Leader and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos insisted on Mouzalas’ resignation. After the meeting with PM Alexis Tsipras that lasted almost two hours Kammenos said:
“We, ANEL, insist on Mouzala’s resignation, the palriamentary group of ANEL has not rust. The Minister is currently in Brussels. From now on, we will wait, the Prime Minister will wait the Ministers’ Summit in Brussels to conclude later today and Mouzalas’ return to Athens.”
However, Kammenos refrained from revealing what he and his aprty will do, if Mouzalas does not resign, or if The PM does not ask him to resign.
13:50
Government Spokeswoman Olga Gerovassili
“priority is to manage the refugee crisis.”
“Decisions [on Mouzalas] will be taken after the return of the Prime Minister from the EUCO Summit on Migration.”
#EUCO EU-Turkey Summit will take place March 17-18, 2016.
Live Blog from Athens concludes here
A major government crisis with the key Minister for Migration to resign just hours before the crucial EU-Turkey Summit on Migration?
BTW all European leaders call FYROM Macedonia… lapsus linguae? I don’t think so.
Macedonia naming dispute: Greece’s official policy here, and general here
PS I don”t know, how Tsipras will solve this crisis tonight, but I’m gonna watch my current favorite House of Cards I have enough for trying all day to write FYROM as an adjective…
This is just Greek nationalistic stupidity. The whole world calls the wretched country “Macedonia” and if Mouzalas did so, then either it was a slip or it shows that he is a cosmopolitan who is eminently suited for the difficult task he has.
~
As for Malakas Kammenos, he is eminently unsuited for anything other than cleaning toilets — and even that, I doubt. Does he really think that making a fuss over a name that doesn’t (apparently)exist is more important than protecting both Greece and the refugees arriving from the manipulations and general shit of Europe?
ha! it is Kammenos’ duty to defend “our national interests” 🙂
Where is FYROM? I can’t see it on my atlas = )))
Is there already another crucial meeting scheduled as “Schulz” is sceptical the meeting will bring (m)any results? Also Cyprus is playing a cool card: Ankara must recognize Cyprus or no EU-access and/or gas-pipelines.