Results of parliamentary and presidential elections in North Macedonia on Wednesday, where the right-wing nationalist party VMRO prevailed with a large majority, is causing concern to Greece’s political leadership as well as the Foreign Ministry with regards to the historic Prespa Agreement of 2018..
The election result enables the majority party to form a government, while at the same time the Presidency of the Republic will be occupied by a veteran member of VMRO, Yordanka Silianovska.
Athens fears that the change in the political leadership of its neighbor in the North may signal a change in the country’s foreign policy, which will be the starting point for problems and complications in its international relations.
VMRO had strongly opposed the Prespa Agreement signed between then left-wing PM Alexis Tsipras and socialist PM Zoran Zaef on June 17, 2018, ending a long standing dispute between the two neighboring countries.
VMRO had argued that it is one-sided, harmful to its country, and had vowed to annul it or fundamentally amend it,
If the new VMRO government does not show a willingness to adapt to the new conditions and insist on its declarations, the Greek side will find itself in a difficult position.
It should be recalled that now ruling conservative New Democracy but back then main opposition party had also opposed the Prespa Agreement and had led protests and mobilizations against it, threatening to amend it when it could come to power.
However, when ND indeed won the elections in 2019, PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis chose to abandon his “Macedonia is Greek” policy and refrained from any bold movements.
If the VMRO proceed to changes in the Prespa Treaty, the ND will face difficulties at political level and will be forced to defend it.
In an interview with Skai FM on Thursday, Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis expressed hope that “foreign policy of North Macedonia will not change”. He also stressed that “there must be faithful implementation of the Prespa Agreement.”
Regarding the possibilities of Greece exerting pressure on the issue, the FM pointed out that “the European course of North Macedonia goes through the observance of the Prespa agreement. We are monitoring the developments and are ready for all scenarios.”
