The nationalist Independent Greeks (ANEL) party will withdraw its support from the Syriza-led government led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras if the name deal with Macedonia is put to a vote in the parliament in Athens, Greek media reported.
The deal between Greece and Macedonia, which was signed on June 17, is intended to solve the long-standing dispute between the two neighbours and unblock Macedonia’s EU and Nato integration processes. Under the deal Macedonia will be renamed North Macedonia.
“I will not allow this deal to go through with my own consent,” Kathimerini said cited the leader of the party and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos as saying to Greek Real FM.
Previously, Kammenos also rejected the name deal as “bad” and said he does not want the term Macedonia to be included in the new name of the country.
The deal will be put to a referendum in Macedonia on September 30, and in case of a yes vote the country will change the Constitution to reflect the changes. After that it will be the turn of the Greek parliament to ratify it by the end of 2018 or early 2019.
According to the latest survey, the largest share of Macedonian citizens, 41.5%, will vote yes in the referendum on the name agreement with Greece while 35.1% of those polled will vote against.
The referendum is a crucial step in the implementation of the name deal with Greece.
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