Answering the government’s junior coalition partner, the PM’s office did not outright reject Defence Minister Panos Kammenos’ demand that the Greece-FYROM accord be approved either by a three-fifths majority of parliament or by a referendum.

“The government will comply to the letter to all the provisions of the Prespes agreement,” the PM’s press office said in a statement.

The statement said that the government wants the broadest possible support in ratifying the agreement, but it in no way confirmed that it will seek a three-fifths (180 votes) parliamentary majority. It also notes that elections will be held at the end of the government’s term, in September, 2019.

The statement of the PM’s press office states that after ratification of the deal by FYROM’s parliament, the Greek side acquiesced to the start of negotiations [with Nato], which will conclude with an accession protocol, if and only if the constitutional revision and the referendum are successfully completed in our neighbouring country.  These procedures are expected to be completed at earliest by the end of year.

“Subsequently, the Greek parliament will table the agreement in parliament for ratification. Only after ratification by both sides does the agreement come into effect. The same applies to FYROM’s Nato accession protocol, which will be drafted only if FYROM complies with the above terms,” the statement underlined.

“The Greek government is a coalition government with two parties, and operates collectively in the framework set by the Constitution and the law. The government’s desire is that the agreement, solving an issue that for years burdened our foreign policy, to garner the greatest possible majority in parliament,” the statement concluded

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