EPP's Weber expresses support for FYROM name deal

Manfred Weber, the Spitzenkandidat of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), appeared to support the agreement aimed at resolving a decades-old name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the latter's name, after pressure to clarify his position.

"Everybody knows that [the name dispute] has to be solved in order to give Macedonia a positive economic and European future," Weber was quoted as telling news website Euractiv.

Asked to comment on the negative stance of EPP sister party New Democracy on the deal, he said it was up to the Greek government to complete the agreement, implying that no support was needed from the main opposition.

"Formally, the opposition is not needed to accept a compromise. It is the role of the opposition to show alternatives and New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis does not...