Macedonian Language

'The Macedonian language is the language of the Macedonians in Australia, America, Canada, Switzerland, and Germany, and no one disputes that,' Zaev declared.

Critics say the Prespa Agreement leaves plenty of room for misinterpretation and exploitation by forces which wish to stir problems and push for the recognition of a “Macedonian minority in Greece”.

'With the Prespa Agreement, Greece accepted the right of self-identification and that no one any longer can deny our right to be Macedonians who speak the Macedonian language in this land,' Zaev said

This chasm between the country’s name on the one hand and its ethnicity and language on the other leaves a bitter taste for almost all Greek citizens, as was evidenced in the recent rallies and opinion polls.

The agreement recognises that that country is inhabited by Macedonians and not North Macedonians and that they speak Macedonian and not a South Slavic language.

As for the accord’s recognition of a “Macedonian language”, Zaev said that there is already a UN decision clarifying that FYROM’s language belongs to the family of South Slavic languages.

The government has not answered basic questions about secret understandings reached by Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and PM Alexis Tsipras [with the FYROM side], behind the back of opposition parties and the Greek people.