North Macedonia

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar's visit to Skopje on Wednesday, just a day after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was there with a large entourage of ministers and businessmen, is seen in Greece as an indication of Turkey's growing concern over Athens's new role in North Macedonia after the ratification of the Prespes agreement. 

The deal was signed at the 2nd Western Balkans Digital Summit, organized by the Serbian government, Tanjug, the media sponsor of the event, is reporting.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has expressed its concerns to Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios over the request he received from the small local Rainbow Party to grant his approval for the divine liturgy to be conducted in the "Macedonian language" to cater for speakers of the Southern Slavic spoken in North Macedonia.

Environment and Energy Minister Yorgos Stathakis has said that despite the popular backlash from the Prespa Agreement, North Macedonia's EU prospects and course will serve to highlight the benefits of the accord.

Stathakis said it will take time for the positive repercussions of the agreement to become evident to the general public.

US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt has congratulated Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on his "very successful" visit to North Macedonia on Tuesday.

US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt has congratulated Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on his "successful" visit to North Macedonia on Tuesday.
Speaking at a conference held by the Panhellenic Exporters Association on Wednesday, Pyatt said the visit offers hope regarding the future of relations between the nations of Europe.

A four-member family - mother, father and two children - died after the small plane they traveled from Ohrid to Sofia crashed in Macedonia.

With looming elections on their minds, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his North Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev sought on Tuesday, during the former's official visit to Skopje, to highlight the benefits that will accrue from the Prespes agreement ratified by the two countries earlier this year.

Reforms are lagging behind, the report said, quoted by NOVA TV. 

Economic growth in the Western Balkans has accelerated to 3.8% in 2018, but is vulnerable to "rising external and internal risks," including geopolitical disputes and lagging reforms, the World Bank said.

Amidst a flurry of Greek press reports criticising the ambiguities and potential traps of the Greece-North Macedonia Prespa Agreement, PM Alexis Tsipras and his North Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev attempted to allay fears regarding the use of the brand "Macedonian" by both sides, announcing a joint committee to review the related issues at a joint press conference today.