(13 Jan 2019) Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov on Sunday said he had been "assured" by his Greek counterpart that Athens remained "strongly committed" to completing its part of the name change deal.
Dimitrov spoke after the Greek prime minister said he would ask for a vote of confidence in parliament this week following the resignation of the country's defence minister, who leads the coalition government's junior party, over the agreement.
Panos Kammenos announced his resignation and said his right-wing Independent Greeks party was quitting the government after meeting Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Sunday morning.
Greece and Macedonia agreed last June to a deal that would change the name of Greece's northern neighbour to North Macedonia.
In exchange, Greece would lift its objections to the country joining NATO.
The deal ended a dispute that had been going on since the early 1990s but it is opposed by conservatives like Kammenos, who feel that Tsipras gave away too many concessions.
Macedonia's parliament ratified the deal on Friday.
Tsipras needs only a majority in the 300-seat Greek parliament to ratify the accord.
He already has the backing of his 145-strong Syriza parliamentary group, and seems assured of the support of two, and possibly three, Independent Greeks, an independent conservative, at least two and up to four lawmakers from centrist party To Potami, an independent socialist and possibly one lawmaker from the small Centrist Union.
That makes a minimum of 151 and potentially 155 votes in favour of the deal.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
