An attack on the government over our national issues, on the occasion of the Macedonia naming dispute and today’s signatures by Greece and Bulgaria for the exchange of cultural relics, was launched by Antonis Samaras, in a statement posted on Facebook.
He stressed characteristically:
“We suffered a double blow today. Mrs. von der Leyen, whom I do not know which Europe she represents, expressed admiration for the alleged Macedonian language and the Macedonian culture of Skopje.
Things have become much worse than the Prespes fiasco and we are watching in silence.
At the same time, Bulgaria received Samuel’s bones with the highest official honors, which for them is as if the bones of Alexander the Great had come to Greece. For more than 100 years it was the national longing of the Bulgarians. And note what we received: only 48 of our thousands of stolen sacred relics, which the Bulgarians had seized from Northern Greece in the First World War.
As Prime Minister I had demanded that they return everything stolen to us and we, unfortunately, today are sounding a retreat amid celebrations.
This is not Greece!”
From the government they commented that “the best answer to Mr. Samaras on the issue of the relics is the announcement of the Holy Synod,” at the same time that the government spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis, was issuing a statement on North Macedonia and the Prespes Agreement:
North Macedonia’s path to Europe passes through Greece and presupposes strict respect for what has been agreed. Our country has proven that it always does whatever is required to safeguard our national interests. It will continue to raise the relevant issues in the European institutions.
Beyond that, for what happened in the past, let us seek the bill from Mr. Tsipras and those who voted for a bad agreement, about which Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as leader of the official opposition, had warned that “if it is voted on and ratified, then it cannot be unilaterally revoked”.