Macedonia naming dispute

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday essentially offered his support to North Macedonia Premier Zoran Zaev and his country's effort to unstick its stalled bid for European Union accession talks but emphasized that Skopje would have to honor the terms of the Prespes name deal. 

The official brand that will be placed on products from the Greek province of Macedonia - the largest part of the geographic region of Macedonia - was presented today at an event in Thessaloniki attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

In talks with North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday underlined the importance of the so-called Prespes accord being honored if the Balkan country is to achieve its aim of starting accession talks with the European Union. 

Zoran Zaev told a Russia-North Macedonia economic forum in Skopje on Thursday that the event and the reactivation of an inter-governmental commission on trade with Russia do not mean that his country is seeking an alternative to Euro-Atlantic integration.

Germany's foreign minister has offered backing for North Macedonia's efforts to start membership talks with the European Union, after a minority of EU members blocked the process.
Heiko Maas said Wednesday that the EU "has to open the doors" to the Balkan country and said the people of North Macedonia should not be disappointed with the setback.

Macedonia and the entire region have no alternative but EU membership, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said today at a press conference in Ohrid after the end of the second meeting of the regional co-operation initiative.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias on Friday reassured his North Macedonia counterpart Nikola Dimitrov of Greece's support for the Balkan country's prospects for joining the European Union while also underlining the need for the Prespes name deal to be honored to the letter. 

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet with North Macedonia's Zoran Zaev on November 14, on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki Summit 2019, a business event organized by the Federation of Industries of Greece (SBE).

Their first meeting was on September 24 in New York, on the sidelines of a UN meeting, as part of Mitsotakis' contacts with leaders from the western Balkans.

The head of the European Parliament says there is still hope for Balkan countries to join the European Union, and urged for membership talks to open soon with North Macedonia and Albania.

A senior US diplomat has reaffirmed Washington's support for North Macedonia's efforts to join NATO and the European Union, two weeks after France vetoed the country's EU membership talks.