Bulgarian Foreign Ministry warns on January 20 anti-Prespa meeting in Athens
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry has issued a warning to the country’s citizens about a protest meeting to be held in Syntagma Square in Greece’s capital Athens on January 20 against the Prespa Agreement.
The ministry said that the protest is provisionally expected to start between 1pm and 2pm.
“According to the Greek media, more than 100 000 citizens are expected to take part in the protests. Buses from all over Greece are expected to head to Athens, which is likely to cause traffic problems.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended that Bulgarian citizens residing or traveling in Greece as well as the motorists should keep in mind the above information, stay informed in advance about the current situation, and to heed and strictly follow the directions of the local authorities.
It is recommended that Bulgarian citizens avoid the central parts of the Greek capital during that period, the ministry said.
The Prespa Agreement was reached on June 12 2018 between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his counterpart from Skopje, Zoran Zaev, to achieve the end of a decades-long dispute about the former Yugoslav republic’s use of the name “Macedonia”.
The agreement, which provides for Zaev’s country to be named “Republic of North Macedonia” has been approved by the legislature in Skopje.
On January 18, the Speaker of the Greek Parliament, Nikos Voutsis, said that the agreement would be voted on by the end of next week.
(Photo, of Parliament in Athens: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
