Prespes agreement puts an end to taboos, stereotypes: North Macedonian FM

ATHENS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Prespes (or Prespa) Agreement put an end to stereotypes, visiting Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov said in Athens on Friday, referring to the historic deal Athens and Skopje reached last summer to resolve a long-standing dispute over the use of the name Macedonia.

"It was a difficult agreement because it brought change, and people resist change. But what we achieved was outstanding: the agreement put an end to discriminations, taboos and stereotypes," said Dimitrov during joint statements to media with Greek parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis, according to an e-mailed press release issued by the latter's office.

Under the deal, which was signed at Prespes lake, the natural border between the two Balkan states, and sealed by the two parliaments this year, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) was renamed "Republic of North Macedonia".

The agreement closed a row that had started in 1991 when FYROM declared independence from Yugoslavia choosing the name Macedonia, and Greece protested from the first moment, fearing territorial claims by the new state, because a province in northern Greece has the same name.

"I will not relax until I persuade everyone who reacts that what we have done is the right thing," added Dimitrov, acknowledging that a part of citizens in both sides of the borders still oppose the deal.

"The Prespes Agreement provides an opening for cooperation and friendship between the people of Greece and North Macedonia," Voutsis noted on his part, urging the two sides to accelerate the implementation of all provisions.

Dimitrov visits Athens to participate a forum hosted at the Faculty of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus in honor of former Greek Foreign Minister and current Emeritus Professor Nikos Kotzias, who was instrumental in the signing of the Prespes agreement. enditem