Zaev's choice of words irks Athens

The Greek government is concerned by the insistence of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on calling his country "Macedonia" following Greece's approval last week of the Prespes deal changing the country's name to North Macedonia, but is expecting a shift in stance when the change is formalized, Kathimerini understands. 

A series of references by Zaev to "Macedonia," chiefly on social media, have put government officials in a difficult position by undermining their argument that the Prespes deal achieves what Greece has long sought: a composite name with a geographical qualifier for the country's Balkan neighbor. 

In comments to Kathimerini, FYROM's government spokesman Mile Bosnjakovski said the term "North Macedonia" would be adopted immediately after "the final step of the Greek Parliament, namely the ratification of the NATO...