Karamanlis agreed to compound name for FYROM letter reveals 2

An old letter written by former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to NATO about the name dispute with North Macedonia that appears to support key elements of the Prespes agreement has been discovered and used by SYRIZA to accuse New Democracy of ‘hypocrisy’.

Greece’s Foreign Affairs Minister George Katrougalos said the revelations of the letter expose the “hypocrisy” of ND’s criticism of the Prespes Agreement.

“Following the discussion that began after the publication of the letter by former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis about accepting a double name…and everything showcased in parliament during the ratification of the Prespes Agreement, two great truths emerge: Firstly, that the Agreement fully covered national interests to a much greater degree than all previous negotiations. Secondly, it was a blatant demonstration of the hypocrisy of those that condemned non-existent concessions, when they had themselves set the bar far lower and still not managed to clear it,” he said.

The party that for the past year had divided Greece into “traitors” and “nation-lovers”, while speaking of a treasonous agreement or accusing the government of “trading” Macedonia for pensions, now proved to be the country that for the last 14 years had accepted the term “Macedonia” for Greece’s northern neighbour without a geographic qualifier and without any change in its constitution, while also not requiring an erga omnes use of the name, so that it was the same within and outside the country.

“On top of that, it allowed any country that so wished to simply call the neighbouring country ‘Macedonia’,” he added.

According to Katrougalos, main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis owes an apology to the Greek people for his party’s hypocritical stance.