In a provocative statement, FYROM PM Zoran Zaev referred to “Macedonians” living in Greece who would able to learn their “Macedonian” language as a result of the Prespa Agreement reached between the two countries.
During his address in FYROM’s parliament, and in an effort to convince right-wing hard-line opposition MPs of the VMRO-DPMNE to vote for the constitutional amendments provided for in the Prespa Agreement with Greece, he said “The country remains the same, the language will be recognized by all, and ‘Macedonia’ will become part of all international organizations”, adding that the deal paved the way for the potential teaching of the “Macedonian language in northern Greece”.

According to local daily newspaper “Vecer”, Mr Zaev pointed out that especially for the “Macedonians” in the Aegean, almost nothing has happened in the past 27 years – from the independence of “Macedonia” – and that with the agreement there is the possibility that the “Macedonian” language could be taught in Greece.
According to the revisionist, and unfounded historically, the narrative of FYROM, “Aegean Macedonia” is the geographical region covering current day Macedonia in northern Greece, which was supposedly conquered by Greece in 1913 and subsequently adopted policies of ethnic cleansing against “Macedonians”.
The FYROM PM’s reference to “Macedonians in the Aegean” who are living in Greece simply confirms the concerns raised by many that the Prespa Agreement was conceded, apart from the national identity and name, the claim of a “Macedonian” ethnic minority in Greece.