“Greece’s diplomatic reaction to the last defiant retreats of our northern neighbors must be framed and a commercial counterattack with the authenticity and quality of our Macedonian products and services at the forefront,” the Prime Minister pointed out, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during his speech at the regular general meeting of the Association of Exporters of Northern Greece (SEVE), referring to the registration of the trademark of Macedonian products.

“It is known that the ND voted against the Prespa Agreement, let me remind you that we even filed a motion of censure against SYRIZA, which promoted it. Mind you, not because we didn’t want a solution to the issue, but because this particular Treaty granted Macedonian ethnicity and language to our neighbors,” the Prime Minister said and continued: “As a new government we honored this Greek signature in an international Agreement in force by law. However, seeing for some time now the rise of nationalism in Skopje, we remained cautious in accepting the Memoranda that accompanied the Agreement. Unfortunately, developments have confirmed these reservations. And the attitude of the new president and her supporters there, unfortunately also the acting prime minister, is both illegal and provocative. That is why Greece rejects it and returns it. The neighboring state should realize, I think this is what most of the citizens of North Macedonia finally realize, that the road to Europe and to progress also passes through our country and it can stop there.

As some anti-historians within the border should understand that a country cannot renounce its arms. We have reached the point where those who first burdened us with the Agreement are now asking us to ratify the Memoranda. And when; At the time when Skopje itself violates it, he pointedly mentioned about SYRIZA.

The Trademark, therefore, of Macedonia, at this juncture, becomes a powerful instrument of economic diplomacy. It really saddens me when I hear from the top wine producers in our country telling us that there are wines that appear as Macedonian and some customers abroad when they talk about Macedonian wines have North Macedonia in mind. It is up to us to turn this around, and you will have the full support of the government in this endeavour. And all the forces of the place must rally to it. But also giving the opportunity to all Greeks to stand out the true patriots of work and result from the false patriots of fresh water and much more than the merchants of national feelings”.