Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said immediately after Parliament ratified the Greece-FYROM Prespa Accord said that this is a “difficult, sad day” for Greece and that he will work to temper the perceived negative repercussions of the agreement.

“I shall fight with all my might to temper the negative consequences that will certainly arise from a problematic agreement. Today is a difficult, sad day for Greece. The government with an opportunistic majority ratified the harmful Prespa Agreement,” he said in a statement that was broadcast.

“This ratification means official recognition of a Macedonian language and identity of the residents of Skopje [sic] for the first time by a Greek government. A decades-long national line has been abandoned. Mr. Tsipras said yes on an issue over which all of his predecessors said no. Only he knows the reasons.”

“This may become the beginning of new ills. Unfortunately, partisan bargains and SYRIZA’s cynicism prevailed over the national interest.”