New Macedonia FM to Visit Greece

Dimitrov, who is part of the new Macedonian government elected last Wednesday, will travel to Greece by invitation of his Greek counterpart, Nikos Kotzias. The exact time of the visit has not yet been revealed.

"Diplomacy's work is to build bridges, create friendships and opens doors and perspectives" Dimitrov told local media, revealing his intention to accept Greece's recent invitation to visit.

"Bearing in mind that the biggest challenge for our Euro-Atlantic integration is relations with Greece, I would like to reveal the new face of the Republic of Macedonia primrily in Greece.  I am convinced that Greece also has interests in the European Republic of Macedonia," Dimitrov said.

Kotzias has said on several occasions that he would seek to intensify cooperation with Macedonia after it put an end to its prolonged internal political crisis which has been ongoing for several years. Former opposition leader Zoran Zaev has finally been given the mandate fo form a government after months of political uncertainty since a subsequent election last December.

"I have had several conversations with Mr. Zaev and I will invite my counterpart Dimitrov to Athens so that we can find ways for intensifying of cooperation and solving of all long-standing problems ... in the spirit of democratic consensus" Kotzias said immediately after the election of the new Macedonian government.

Greece claims that use of the word Macedonia implies a territorial claim to the northern Greek province of the same name. Athens has blocked Skopje's attempts to join NATO and the EU over the unresolved issue.

In 2008, Macedonia narrowly missed the chance to enter NATO solely due to the long-standing dispute with Greece.

As a result, Macedonia received a...