Today, Skopje and Athens are Negotiating the Name of Macedonia

Key talks will begin today in the Macedonian capital Skopje between Macedonia's and Greece's foreign ministers, Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias, reports BGNES.

Nikos Kotzias will land at "Skopje International Airport", which changed its name from "Alexander the Great" as a sign of goodwill. This will be the first airplane arrival of a Greek diplomat. Two days ago, the authorities in Athens and Skopje officially announced that they had exchanged draft solutions to the dispute.

Dimitrov acknowledged that there are "some differences" between the two packages. However, both parties refused to comment on the documents and to provide details on their content. At the same time, Athens' proposals were published in the Greek press. The package includes the following proposals: The Republic of Northern Macedonia The Republic of New Macedonia The Republic of Upper Macedonia The Republic of Vardar Macedonia The Republic of Macedonia (Skopje).

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that "Greek proposals are only an instrument to help" the Vienna negotiations on the 30th March. The delegations of the two countries will then hold another round of talks with the participation of international mediator Matthew Nimetz. On the eve of Kotzias's visit to Skopje, the State Department issued a special statement stating that "the United States is hoping for a swift solution to the long-standing name dispute."