During his first meeting with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, since being elected, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his counterpart he would not have signed the ‘Prespes Agreement’ if he had been in power in 2018, when the deal was finalised.
The two leaders held their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 24 September, with PM Mitsotakis making it known he he did not agree with the Prespes Agreement, however he also said, Greece is “obliged to honor it.”
His meeting with his counterpart Zaev is part of a series of contacts in New York with western Balkan leaders and American investors.
According to government sources, Mitsotakis told Zaev that he would not have signed the Prespes Agreement himself - concluded in June 2018 by the previous government with North Macedonia - but as it is now part of international law Greece is obliged to respect it.
According to ANA, he also told Zaev that as the main opposition leader at the time, he did whatever he could to prevent its ratification at the Greek parliament.
Mitsotakis called on Zaev to avoid delays in meeting the obligations of the agreement, especially in those relating to trademark protection.
According to reports, Zaev said his government was committed to avoiding delays, and to implement all open issues as fast as possible, on the path to EU accession.
Sources also said the meeting was friendly and both leaders committed to their obligations respectively.
