The President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani explained why he was opposed to supporting Greek PM Alexis Tsipras as a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize for the Prespes Agreement. Speaking at the convention of the European People’s Party (EPP) group, Mr Tajani argued that as a member of the EPP he could not follow in the footsteps of the heads of the social democrats, greens and left groups in the European Parliament who co-signed a document endorsing Mr Tsipras’s Nobel Peace nomination.

“I have not signed up to give the Nobel to someone who is an active Prime Minister, because I believe that the Prize should be given to someone else. I think it could be given in remembrance of Helmut Kohl and not someone who is now involved in politics”, he said.