Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday reiterated his position that the provisional “Prespa Agreement” is a negative development for the country, stressing from the northern city of Thessaloniki that hundreds of businesses in Greece’s Macedonia province may face obstacles in using the specific name – Macedonia or Macedonian – in their title or for their products.
The June 2018 Prespa agreement aims to finally resolve the decades-old “fYRoM name issue” separating Greece and its northern neighbor, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. A compromise of “North Macedonia” is foreseen to differentiate the one-time Yugoslav constituent state from the large Macedonia province in northern Greece.
Speaking at the Thessaloniki Summit 2018, he asked which “joint committees” will decide on businesses’ names, and which tribunals will adjudicate differences.
At the same time, he again expressed ND’s support for the European prospects of western Balkan states, under the condition that the European acquis is adhered to
Turning to the domestic front, Mitsotakis said total tax burdens and social security contributions have swamped the Greek economy over recent years, pointing to a recent World Bank report showing Greek competitiveness dropping by five spots.
“The Greek economy is today the least free economy in the EU-Eurozone, and among the least productive. We work harder without being productive, and without being paid well for our labor,” he said.
Additionally, he bemoaned the fact, as he said, that “excessive surpluses” are asphyxiating the economy, while pre-election spending promises by the Tsipras government are “sabotaging the country’s future … We’ll be eating from our own flesh for as long as we don’t concentrate on increasing GDP and creating jobs.”
