Greek FM Kotzias Denies Information about Debt-Name Process Correlation

Greek FM Nikos Kotzias denies the more and more present information that the government in Athens rushed to sign the name agreement with its northern neighbour in exchange for a part of Greece’s debt being forgiven. “We didn’t give anything in order to get something in return. We made a best deal in which we took our and their interests into consideration. We need to live in peace,” he says. According to Kotzias, Greece will not hold a referendum because it will not change its Constitution or name and therefore the people shouldn’t decide. As regards the acceptance of the word “Macedonian” when it comes to aspect concerning language and nationality, the Greek FM states that the other side had its own red lines. “Regarding the issue of Macedonia and Macedonians, it’s what they set in the negotiations as a main topic on which they don’t negotiate in order for them to keep their self-determination,” he stresses. In his view, without that, there would have been no deal.

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