«Dear Minister, dear Bujar, I am so pleased to meet you once again here in Athens just a few months after the brief exchange we had on the sidelines of the Economist Forum.
As we had the opportunity to discuss at length, there is a significant potential in our bilateral relations based on common efforts for a mutually beneficial relationship.
Today we are taking our relationship one step further by signing three Memoranda.
The first on cooperation between the Diplomatic Academies of our two Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the second on civil protection and the third on cooperation between the respective entities of our two countries for attracting foreign investments.
Economic relations, the energy sector, interconnectivity are at the forefront of our projects for enhanced cooperation. There is still a lot that can be done on the basis of our bilateral Action Plan.
We need to encourage more trade; we need to encourage more investments. They, in turn, have the potential to bring more jobs, to bring prosperity in both our countries in our overall region.
Dear Bujar, among friends we have to be frank and open to each other. We can be, we, Greece, can be North Macedonia’s best ally. We can be North Macedonia’s best friend.
Greece is a country with a substantial vested interest in the stability of the region and your prosperity.
Greece is a close neighbor. We share borders. We have already welcomed your country as a NATO ally.
Greece is successfully conducting air policing missions in the national airspace of the North Macedonia.
And we support and encourage your efforts to join the European Union. Of course, on the basis of the set conditionality, the own merit principle, and the new Enlargement methodology of the European Union.
Greece has been historically advocating and actively supporting the Western Balkans countries’ European perspectives. It has been two decades now. And we will continue to do so, because we believe that this is not just the best, but it is the only road to stability and prosperity in our region.
The European Union has an obligation to keep its enlargement policy on the table. We need to provide incentives to those that want to be part of our European family, of our common European home.
We cannot allow the creation of a stability vacuum in our neighborhood. This could easily be filled by other non-European forces supporting extremism and revisionism or aspiring to revive empires that belong to the past.
In parallel, the countries of the region have to continue down the path of reforms. And to abide by basic principles, such as respect of international law and good neighbourly relations.
And I would like, dear Minister, dear friend, on this point, to thank you for the alignment of your country to the European Union common position on Turkey. It is noted and has been greatly appreciated by Greece.
Greece stands ready to provide technical assistance in order to support the efforts undertaken by the Western Balkans countries in the European Union accession efforts.
But in this context, let me stress that the full, consistent and in good faith implementation of the Prespa Agreement is the way for ensuring the progress we seek.
This is what our countries and people deserve.
Almost two years after the entry into force of the Agreement, we recognize that work has been done in the direction of implementing the name change.
However, more progress is needed. On one hand, on the implementation and consistent use of the name and terminologies by all public institutions and private entities, including websites.
On the other hand, on the eradication of the “antiquization programme”; the removal of the Sun of Vergina from all public places and uses, the renaming of public roads and facilities.
Dear Minister, I have to say that what is crystal clear in the Prespa Agreement is the clarity on what has happened in the antiquity. And one thing is clear. With all due respect, your compatriots - you have accepted it - have not campaigned with Alexander the Great, they were not present in Granikos, they were not present in Issus, they were not present in Gaugamela.
During the discussion, we have also touched upon a number of other issues of common interest, including the response to the pandemic. Greece has been engaging in efforts within the European Union context to provide support in the procurement of vaccines of Covid-19 to North Macedonia and for other countries in the region.
This is an issue that I have already raised with the European Commission, and I will continue my efforts. And then, if you will allow me to say, our Prime Minister, Prime Minister Mitsotakis is very active on this field.
Today, we had the opportunity to discuss regional developments as well. In this context, I had the opportunity to underline the importance of having reached an agreement with Albania on addressing the issue of the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf at the International Court of Justice. Always on the basis of international law, and in particular, the international law of the sea.
In this vein, I also mentioned the resumption of the exploratory talks with Turkey on the 25th of January in order to address the issue of the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. On the basis of the same principles I just mentioned. I also underline the importance of ensuring a smooth continuation of these talks and the need for Turkey to refrain from any provocative actions.
Dear Bujar, our meeting today paves the way for further steps towards setting new levels in our bilateral cooperation. In this respect, we are looking forward to holding, once conditions allow, the second High Level Cooperation Council, with the view to increasing the areas where our countries work together to the benefit of our peoples, to the benefit of our countries, to the benefit of our region, to the benefit of Europe.
Thank you so much for visiting us in Athens today. Thank you, it is a great pleasure.»
January 14, 2021