The government of Zoran Zaev in FYROM are preparing to have a secondary vote in Parliament in order to ratify their agreement with Greece, after the original vote had been vetoed by the country’s President Gjorge Ivanov.
Ivanov refused to agree to the deal, stating that it would make the FYROM “subjugated and dependent upon another” and also threatened anyone who signed it with a five-year imprisonment. However, should the agreement receive the majority vote for a second time around, he will be forced to sign it, as per the laws of the country. The original vote had 69 out of 120 in favour, from the necessary 61.
Meanwhile, Zoran Zaev is also being said to hold a referendum on the matter. The date of this referendum was previously speculated by the media in the country to be either the 9th or the 16th of September. Although a later statement by mr Zaev himself confirmed that it will most likely take place sometime between late September and early October, considering the question that his people will be asked but also the nature of the referendum itself (whether it will be decisive or more of a consultation) are two issues that still have not yet been decided.
At the same time, Greece’s parliament is preparing for its own vote to ratify the Prespes agreement. In a statement released by the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ press office, it was pointed out that the country will only support FYROM’s NATO bid once the agreement has been solidified in both nations and asked for the largest possible support in the vote. “The government will comply to the letter to all provisions of the Prespes agreement. Subsequently, the Greek parliament will table the agreement for ratification. Only after ratification by both sides does the agreement come into effect. The same applies to FYROM’s NATO accession protocol, which will be drafted only if FYROM complies with the above terms.”
