Athens, 10 June 2025 (MIA) - What is important about the Prespa Agreement is that it is the first agreement in recent decades achieved between two countries, in the past these kinds of issues were solved by other powerful forces, other powerful countries and in different manners. It is a good example for two countries being able to sit down together and solve many issues, SDSM leader Venko Filipche said during his participation at the 2nd International Conference in Athens organized by the Alexis Tsipras Institute, MIA’s Athens correspondent reports.

This year’s conference is dedicated to democracy and social justice, with Filipche participating in a panel discussion on progressive forces. Former prime minister Zoran Zaev is also attending the conference in Athens, where together with former Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras they will present the 2025 Prespa Peace Award. 

During the panel discussion, the SDSM leader focused on the importance of the Prespa Agreement, as well as what progressive forces should do in the future.

“The Prespa Agreement solved a decades-long dispute between North Macedonia and Greece and allowed North Macedonia to become a member of NATO, unfortunately we are still not in the EU. Currently, we have a right-wing authoritarian government in our country which does not want to move the country forward,” Filipche said.

The opposition leader also spoke about authoritarian regimes in the world, the crisis of democracy, and conveyed his views about what progressive forces can do to succeed.

“We need to go back to our traditional voters – the workers. We need to admit that over the past electoral cycles, many of the workers voted for the radical right. This is not because they are extremists or fascists, but because they feel abandoned by us, and this is a paradox,” Filipche stressed. 

As part of his visit to Athens, Filipche is expected to meet with SYRIZA leader Sokratis Famellos.

On Tuesday evening, Tsipras and Zaev are set to present the 2025 Prespa Peace Award to the directors of the documentary “No Other Land” depicting the destruction of the Palestinian community in the occupied West Bank.

The previous recipient of the award was the United Nation’s Special Representative for the name dispute between the two countries, Matthew Nimitz.

Photo: MIA