We are determined to press ahead with the Prespes agreement, says SYRIZA MP Christos Mantas
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The government is determined to press ahead with the ratification of the Prespes Agreement signed by Athens and Skopje and “will not play games”, SYRIZA MP and parliamentary spokesman Christos Mantas said on Friday, talking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) radio station ‘Praktoreio 104.9 FM’.
He was commenting on statements made by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the “Wall Street Journal”, where the prime minister ruled out the possibility that a vote on the agreement in the Greek Parliament will be put off until after the next general elections in Greece.
“The prime minister’s statement indicates SYRIZA’s determination to bring this matter to a close,” Mantas said, while expressing his personal belief that Greek lawmakers will finally uphold the deal, since the process will acquire its own momentum once the necessary steps – a valid and clear ‘yes’ vote in the referendum and revision of the constitution – were completed in neighbouring FYROM.
Regarding the stance of the junior party in Greece’s ruling coalition government, the Independent Greeks (ANEL), Mantas noted that there did not appear any change of opinion by ANEL’s leadership, which was opposed to the agreement, though individual ANEL MPs had said they would vote in favour.
“In their last meeting, the prime minister and [ANEL leader] Panos Kammenos said they would revisit all these issues in March. I believe that more and more of them, on a parliamentary level also, will think and rethink about it if the neighbouring country completes all the steps that change its constitutional name erga omnes,” he added.
Source: AMNA