Statement from Minister McEntee on the Prespa Agreement
News
16 January 2019
Minister of State for European Affairs, Helen McEntee T.D., has welcomed the positive parliamentary vote in Skopje on 11 January approving the constitutional changes required to implement the historic Prespa Agreement.
The Minister of State said:
“I want to commend Prime Minister Zaev and Foreign Affairs Minister Dimitrov for their leadership on this issue and the Macedonian parliamentarians for the considerable courage they have shown in seizing this historic opportunity. The Prespa Agreement is a powerful example of reconciliation and its full ratification has the potential to enhance stability and prosperity in the country and across the region. I sincerely hope that the parliament in Athens will be able to complete the ratification process very soon. I am planning to visit Skopje in February and look forward to discussing how Ireland can further support the country on its European path.”
ENDS
Press Office
16 January 2019
Notes to Editors
On 12 June 2018 an agreement was reached on the shores of Lake Prespa between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev which aims to resolve the long running name dispute by renaming the Balkan country the ‘Republic of North Macedonia’. The deal still needs to be ratified by the Greek Parliament before coming into effect.
