Katrougalos: Skopje resisting ‘erga omnes’ solution, constitutional revision
The key stumbling blocks holding up an agreement between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia regarding the latter's official name are over the use of the name and Greek demands for a revision of FYROM's constitution, Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos told the Athens-Macedonia News Agency on Tuesday.
"These are not small issues, and at the moment Skopje is insisting," Katrougalos said. "The ball is in their court," he added.
For there to be a deal, there must be "a necessary concession by the other side," he said.
Greece wants the name agreed with FYROM to be "erga omnes" – namely, to be used both domestically and internationally – so that there are no loose ends "that could lead to irredentist prospects in the future," Katrougalos said.
A revision of FYROM's constitution is another Greek demand, he said.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his FYROM counterpart Zoran Zaev are expected to discuss the progress of United Nations-mediated negotiations between Athens and Skopje ahead of an EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia on Thursday.