The leader of the largest political party in Greece, New Democracy, after a meeting with the Greek PM on Saturday rejected any possibility of providing support to the current administration to muster a wide national consensus over the name issue.
Opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis after meeting PM Alexis Tsipras lambasted the way in which the Greek government has been handling the matter in question, MIA's correspondent reports from Athens.
"The way in which negotiations are being intensified is a cause of serious concern. The government has already made concessions without ensuring concrete and irreversible exchanges for our country. Tsipras's very serious omission to directly and publicly raise the question on amendments to the constitution of the neighboring country, as a necessary prerequisite laying ground for any kind of negotiations, has weakened the national line. To break down any solution into separate issues is not acceptable, because it directly undermines the interests of Greece," stated Mitsotakis, MIA reported.
The New Democracy leader criticized PM Tsipras for not informing the political parties, the Parliament or the Greek people. He said Tsipras had started negotiating without event mustering support from his coalition partner, and worst of all, he even had managed to divide the Greeks.
"The issue with Skopje is not solely an issue of foreign policy, it also targets our national awareness, our history and ultimately, it targets the identity itself of the Greek people. I will repeat what I have said several days ago - we will not divide the Greeks in order to unite 'Skopijans'," urged Mitsotakis noting that Tsipras himself had decided to walk this road alone. "Not it's not the time to look for alibi or accomplices."
Soon after the statement of the party leader, Tsipras's office issued a response saying it was easier for Mitsotakis 'to chose the easy road.'
"The country needs a government that is determined to face difficulties, to defend national interest, rather than choosing the easy way out that leads to a deadlock," the PM's office said.