North Macedonia

International media outlets reported on PM Alexis Tsipras' historic visit to North Macedonia today, the first since it was established as an independent state in 1991, with the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Indeed, it was the first visit of a Greek PM since the "Republic of Macedonia" was established as part of Yugoslavia.

At a joint press conference with Prime Minister of North Macdonia Zoran Zaev, Tsipras said that this was envisaged in a document signed by defense ministers of the two neighboring countries.

North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev (l) and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (r) pose for a selfie during the welcome ceremony in front of the Government building in Skopje, capital of North Macedonia, Tuesday.  [EPA]

Greece and North Macedonia are in the process of building a "new narrative" based on "solid foundations" stemming from the name deal signed between the two neighbors last year, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday during a landmark visit to the Balkan country's capital, Skopje.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arrives at a historic visit to Skopje, the World Agencies have reported.
 
This is the first visit of a Greek prime minister to the former Yugoslav republic. According to France Press this is the first Greek leader in Skopje in many years.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras landed in the North Macedonia capital of Skopje on Tuesday for a what is the first visit by a Greek premier to the Balkan nation since its independence in 1991.

Defined as a "historic" occasion by his office, Tsipras's visit is expected to bolster ties between the two neighbors who recently resolved a decades-old name dispute.

Seeking to mitigate the negative reactions to the Prespes agreement at home, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras aims to highlight its prospects during his visit Tuesday to North Macedonia with an entourage of around 70 businessmen and 10 cabinet ministers.

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, has stressed the trade and investment opportunities created by the Greece-North Macedonia Prespa Agreement and confirmed a controversial initiative for the two countries to exchange cultural monuments.

The elected will be the first head of state after the change of name of our Southwest neighbor, reported NOVA TV. 

The Republic of Northern Macedonia officially launches the election campaign for the upcoming presidential elections.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras recognized that achieving the agreement which ended a decades-old dispute with North Macedonia on its name had a political cost on the government, in an interview with North Macedonian news agency MIA, ahead of his visit to Skopje on Tuesday.