Prespes

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday sought to clarify that Moscow has no problem with the new name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) but that it does with the legitimacy of the process that led to the deal, known as the Prespes agreement.

Confirming that his party would vote against the government in the confidence vote on Wednesday, centrist Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis declared that a vote of confidence in the government was tantamount to support for the Prespes deal but contended that the opposite does not apply. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the name deal between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) suggesting it is part of a campaign to increase Western influence in the Balkan region.

To Potami lawmaker George Mavrotas on Tuesday suggested that the leftist government was using the Prespes deal to extract support in a confidence vote set for Wednesday.

A prosecutor brought felony charges of attempted violence against a political body, the government or its members against a man for allegedly sending threatening messages to lawmakers who have said they will support the Prespes deal.

The 63-year-old suspect, a former Navy officer, was given time until Thursday morning to appear before an investigative magistrate.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is likely to survive a parliamentary vode of confidence after his nationalist coalition partner quit in disagreement over the Prespes accord, risk consultancy Eurasia Group said Monday giving a 60 percent probability.

Independent Greeks (ANEL) MP Thanassis Papachristopoulos confirmed on Monday he will support the name accord between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in a parliament vote before giving up his parliamentary seat.

Police detained 20 people who had gathered outside the Athens Concert Hall to protest against the Prespes name deal between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras lauded the pact during an event on Sunday night.

Zoran Zaev, the Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), called on Greek lawmakers to ratify the Prespes accord during a press conference on Saturday, a day after his country's Parliament approved the constitutional amendments required under the deal with Greece.

Panos Kammenos, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's right-wing coalition ally, on Friday appeared to have backed down from a threat to quit the government ahead of a vote on the Prespes deal.