Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the SYRIZA flank of Greece’s coalition government distanced themselvesf from coalition partner Panos Kammenos and his Alternative Plan on Prespes Agreement.
“The Greek government sticks to its commitment in the Prespes Agreement and respects [FYROM PM Zoran] Zaev’s efforts to pass the constitutional changes through the Parliament aiming to materialized what has been agreed,” sources from the Prime Minister’s office told media.
Earlier, deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos made clear that Kammenos proposal had not the consent of the Greek government.
Katrougkalos told Radio 24/7 FMsaid that Kammenos’ proposals have not been submitted to the cabinet and therefore cannot be alternative to the Prespes Agreement.
During a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell in Washington on Tuesday, Defense Minister and coalition Tsipras’ junior government partner Panos Kammenos proposed a Plan B to US, an alternative to the Prespes Agreement.
Kammenos plan is a defense agreement be signed among Greece, FYROM, Albania, Bulgaria and at a later stage also with Serbia, in order to create a stability arc in the Balkans, to stop Russian influence in the region and postpone the Macedonia name issue to the future.
Later on Wednesday, Independent Greeks fired another attack on the government with the party spokesperson to tell media that they may vote in favor of a no confidence vote against SYRIZA -which has the majority in coalition government – if the Agreement comes for ratification to the Palriament.
Main opposition party New Democracy has hinted it may submit a no-confidence vote for this reason.
However, the outcome of such a motion looks thin as at least 151 votes are needed to bring down the government and the opposition does not have them even if the support of Kammenos party.
To Potami had hinted it agreed with the Prespes Agreement, Communnist KKE has said it will not support a ND motion, a few independent lawmakers have already expressed their opposition to such a move.
PS I cannot tell for sure if Kammenos seriously tries a unilateral foreign policy or he just tries to win conservative voters. Overwhelming majority of public opinion polls during the last year show that his party to be from reaching the 3% threshold needed to enter the Palriament in the next elections scheduled for autumn 2019 the latest.
