The concerns expressed by critics of the Greek government regarding the risks involved in rushing to ratify the Prespes Agreement appear to be coming true, only hours after the bill passed in the parliament.
As celebrations among the supporters of the deal were ongoing, an official statement released by the government of FYROM was a sobering reminder of the harsh diplomacy of international realpolitik.
In its official announcement to … welcome the decision of the Greek parliament, the FYROM government made reference to a “Macedonian”-Greek solution (!) vindicating from the dawn of the “new day” the fears raised that FYROM would use the agreement as a vehicle to hijack the term and identity of Macedonia.

The announcement by FYROM on the ratification of the Prespes Agreement effectively exposes in the most blatant way the government officials who had claimed the deal would assuage the irredentist intentions of Skopje.

As the Athens News Agency reported, FYROM’s government noted: “The Government of the Republic of ‘Macedonia’ warmly welcomes the decision of the Greek Parliament to ratify the historic Prespes Agreement, ending a three-decade conflict that hampers the development in the region. The government congratulates all the citizens of the two countries on the peace, progress, and development that this Agreement brings and encourages them to intensify their partnerships, connections, and friendships.”

Meanwhile, the ratification of the deal in the Greek parliament has revealed a different dimension of the dispute, as western international media are celebrating the deal as a victory against Russia. The deal will now pave the way for the small country to join both the EU and NATO, a prospect Russia has voiced its open objection to, as it sees the Balkan region as an area falling within its sphere of influence.