Macedonia's name issue, negotiations continue in Austria

Following Greek diplomacy chief Nikos Kotzia's visit to Skopje, the new round of talks between the parties will be held on 30 March in Vienna.

At this meeting, it will be negotiated about the content of two draft agreements exchanged days ago between Skopje and Athens, as well as the draft handed over by mediator Matthew Nimic.

Greek media write that after Vienna, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov is expected to visit Athens. According to Greek television “Sky” and “Star Tv”, despite the positive climate on the part of two ministers, has again voiced incompatibility on several issues.

STAR TV says that not many steps have been taken at the moment, rather, new problems, such as changing the Constitution, have been highlighted, while SKAI says Dimitrov explained he did not see the unrecognizable name proposal as well. “Gorna Makedonija” Kotzias, as Skai claims, explained that for Greece, changing the Constitution is a prerequisite for any kind of solution.

The newspaper Ta Neaé writes that if anyone wants to come to a conclusion from Kotzia's historic visit to Skopje, this findings will be that both sides are far from reaching the agreement. Kotzias led to Skopje, which was coveted as a compromise solution to the name issue.

“The upper Macedonia appeared to be the magic formula with which the name dispute between Greece and Macedonia will be resolved after 27 years. The Greek side requires that the Slavic notion not be translated, but compromise seems to be difficult here.