Greece doubles down on criticism of new President of North Macedonia over naming

ATHENS

Greece on Monday doubled down on its criticism of North Macedonia's new president, reigniting a naming dispute resolved by a 2018 agreement by calling her country "Macedonia," at her swearing-in ceremony.

"The provocative choice of the new President of North Macedonia to violate the official text of her oath and to call her country by a different name is an illegal and impermissible initiative," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on X.

He asserted that President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova's choice of words breaches the PrespaAgreement between the two countries, as well as the Constitution of North Macedonia. It also undermines the country's "future prospects," he added.

"Greece rejects maneuvers like those with which Mrs. Siljanovska has inaugurated her tenure," said Mitsotakis, urging the leader of North Macedonia to "return to her lawful duties and behaviors befitting her role."

"We emphatically declare that we will not accept similar mistakes. And we reiterate that any progress in bilateral relations, as well as any step of Skopje toward Europe, depends on sincere adherence to the agreements, the proper use of the constitutional name of the neighboring country, and, of course, on the avoidance of provocations," he added further.

On Sunday, 71-year-old Siljanovska-Davkova, a law professor and jurist, was sworn in as the country's first woman president, at a ceremony at the North Macedonia Assembly.

In her inaugural speech, Siljanovska-Davkova pledged to diligently and responsibly fulfill her duties as the country's president.

"I will respect the Constitution and laws, and I will protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Macedonia," she said.

After the new president did not refer to her country by its constitutional name, North Macedonia, during her speech, Greek Ambassador Sophia Philippidou, who was present at the time, left the hall in protest.

Siljanovska-Davkova took over the presidency from Stevo Pendarovski in a handover ceremony following the Assembly session.

In the second round of North Macedonia's presidential election on May 8, Siljanovska-Davkova secured victory with 64.14% of the votes.

She was backed by the alliance led by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity.

Meanwhile, the alliance supported by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, led by former President Pendarovski, received 29.25% of the votes.