JOURNALIST: “One of the main points of contention here in Greece is that the neighbouring country will henceforth be known as North Macedonia, while its people as well as its language will be referred to as Macedonian. We would like for you to tell us about that, as well as how it is we reached this compromise?”G. KATROUGALOS: “With regard to the Macedonian language, from the very beginning, we have explained that it had been recognised as such during a UN Conference in 1977. From then on, it was considered by the other side to be an acquis on their part in international fora, and it was something that could not be overturned, precisely because our country did not react when it should have. With regard to the issue of the people, I have explained to Parliament, in detail, that agreements recognise states, they do not recognise peoples. For this reason precisely, the agreement could refer neither to a people nor to an ethnicity, and indeed it does not. Therefore, the Agreement refers exclusively and solely to nationality, which is the legal relationship that citizens have with the State. With regard to the country, as the long-standing national position had been, there are provisions for it to change in all forms, and not just the name itself, but also the adjectives: “Macedonian” shall become “North Macedonian” with regard to the country, international institutions, as well as private organisations funded by the State.”JOURNALIST: “In order to clarify things, will the term nationality be “North Macedonian” or “Macedonian?”G. KATROUGALOS: “Presently, passports and nationality only mention Macedonian. The term “Citizen of North Macedonia” is added through the agreement. Therefore, this is not something that we are ceding, it is essentially something we are achieving, obtaining.”JOURNALIST: “You have also been criticised quite a bit because, from the beginning, there was no national position for negotiating. Why did you proceed in this manner?”G. KATROUGALOS: “Because the national position is a fixed one. We have not altered it in any way. The national position was repeated numerous times by every Prime Minister from 2007 onwards, as well as by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Samaras Government too, and this was: A compound name, thus containing the term “Macedonia,” and a geographical qualifier to be applicable erga omnes. We therefore promoted this position exactly as it stood. The problem about which New Democracy reproaches us lies in the fact that, within the party, there are two lines. There are those who together shaped the national position and those, such as its Vice President, who accused Kostas Karamanlis of being a backtracker, of being the Prime Minister who is selling out Macedonia. It is precisely due to the inherent disunity of New Democracy, with two conflicting and completely contradictory views, that issues result, and not because we made any sort of effort to instrumentalise the matter.”JOURNALIST: “You have mentioned that certain safeguards are in place in case something should go wrong in the future. Does the Greek government have suitable margins to react in the event that a future government in the neighbouring country should decide to violate this agreement?”G. KATROUGALOS: “First of all, the basic guarantee was the Constitutional amendment. Because this is valid for a long time and is not easily reversible. Beyond this, we shall be able to monitor implementation of the agreement in every step pertaining to the process of the neighbouring country’s accession to the European Union. And, in Article 19, the agreement itself provides for dispute settlement mechanisms when differences arise. But I shall tell you in all honesty that I believe that from the moment we remove, through this agreement, the poison that has soured relations between the two countries, the poison of nationalism, we shall have friendly relations going forward. And we shall not have any effort on the part of the neighbouring country to violate its obligations.”JOURNALIST: “Was there international pressure that led to this agreement?”G. KATROUGALOS: “No international pressure whatsoever. Moreover, proof of this is that it is the international position that I am repeating. The same one that, from the interim accord forward, we have essentially been attempting to actualize, which we managed to implement. And indeed by 110%, because we also added the constitutional amendment.”
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