SYRIZA’s parliamentary representative, MP Nikos Xydakis, has welcomed the move of FYROM’s schismatic Church, the “Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric”, to petition the Ecumenical Patriarchate for recognition under the name Archdiocese of Ohrid.

“In diplomacy, not everything is predictable, especially as regards thorny issues. The Church of FYROM is in schism with the Patriarchate of Serbia [as of 1967]. It wants to be in communion with the Greek Orthodox Churches. It has contacts. We have gone quite a way, and we may possibly be near a solution,” Xydaksi told Greece’s ANT1 television.

Xydakis called for a comprehensive, package settlement now, and he described those who are protesting a solution that preserves the name Macedonia as “professional patriots”.

“The Left respects the demonstrations of people who want to support their view. New Democracy has another tactic. Some people like taking selfies. There is no a la carte use of the world or of democracy. The [FYROM issue] has a cost, and the political system must assume it at some point. The government should have informed the people before the formal start of negotiations,” Xydakis said, noting that he opposes a referendum on a solution in Greece.