Podcasts about prespa agreement

Our guest is Ornela Sollakou, one of the participants from our second event in Thessaloniki. We discuss tensions surrounding the 2018 Prespa Agreement, the migration crisis and the integration of migrants in Greek society, and finally how the EU has come to mean something abstract and bureaucratic to citizens. Ornela shares her thoughts on why these things came up in the event and why people felt strongly about them. She also relays when she felt disappointed by opinions expressed and when she related to others.

Over the past month we've seen reports that after more than a decade of trying to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria, Turkey's President Erdogan is now open to resetting relations with President Bashar al-Assad. Henri Barkey, the Cohen Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Erdogan's u-turn when it comes to Assad, and break down what this could mean for the broader region, especially given the Russian and Iranian presence there.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Syria and Turkey: A path to reconciliation, or a defeat of the opposition?As Erdogan woos Assad, is Turkey-Syria reconciliation rhetoric or reality?US emphasizes importance of Prespa Agreement compliance for North MacedoniaWildfire in Greek-Bulgarian border rages for 14th day, burning 1,500 hectares

Last week HALC sounded the alarm over North Macedonia's adherence to the Prespa Agreement, launching a letter and petition to the State Department urging it to remind Skopje that international agreements are binding - not optional - and that there will be consequences. North Macedonia's newly elected leaders have repeatedly referred to their country simply as “Macedonia” rather than the constitutional name “North Macedonia”. Given the renewed attention on this issue, we are re-sharing our discussion with Prof. James Ker-Lindsay from last month where we looked into the mixed signals Skopje is sending about the Prespa agreement, and discussed the broader risks this poses for the region. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:HALC Questions North Macedonia's Prespa Agreement ComplianceMitsotakis–Beleri: Albania must follow the European acquisTurkey to soon wind down latest operation in northern Iraq, Erdogan says

With the US in the midst of an intense diplomatic push to prevent a war between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, Turkey has also waded into the mix. While it's still unclear what Turkey is looking to achieve should a conflict erupt, it looks like a policy is taking shape, especially after Ankara followed up on Hezbollah's threats to Cyprus with its own “warning”. Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest “warning” from Ankara to Cyprus, dig into the Turkey-Hezbollah connections, and look at what role Ankara will likely play in any potential conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD's Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an Associate Professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Will Turkey Work With Hezbollah?Turkey Should Remain on FATF Grey ListNorth Macedonia's PM calls Prespa Agreement a ‘reality'Four MPs enter PASOK's leadership race in election countdownTwo to challenge Androulakis for PASOK leadership

All eyes in Athens were on North Macedonia this weekend, as its new government and prime minister were sworn in. While Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski referred to his country as “North Macedonia” when taking his oath, his statements regarding the Prespa Agreement have not been reassuring, and Greece has warned that the a la carte implementation of Prespa is a violation of the agreement. Professor James Ker-Lindsay, who has worked extensively on the EU, the Balkans and Southeast Europe, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the mixed signals the new government in Skopje is sending about the Prespa agreement, and discuss the broader risks this poses for the region.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Athens ready to alert EU over Prespa Agreement violationWill North Macedonia become Orban's Balkan gateway?New North Macedonia PM describes country's constitutional name as ‘shameful'Albanian court to decide on appeal of jailed ethnic Greek mayor-elect, MEPIn Greece, Another Tourist Found Dead Amid Scorching Heat WaveCity of Athens braces for fresh heatwave

After decades of negotiations and acrimony, Athens and Skopje signed the Prespa Agreement in 2018 that effectively put an end to the Macedonia name dispute and opened the way for North Macedonia to join NATO and start the process toward EU membership. Since the election win of the VMRO-DPMNE in early May, however, its leadership has taken a nationalist turn that could put this deal at risk. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini's English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to look into what he has called a destabilizing nationalism from Skopje, and break down what the broader risks are for not just North Macedonia and Greece, but the region.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Destabilizing nationalism in North MacedoniaPoland and Greece urge EU to create common air shield, says Polish PMVon der Leyen backs Polish, Greek calls for EU air defense shieldMitsotakis tells Zelenskyy Greece will continue to support KyivUkraine renews military aid request

Voters in North Macedonia went to the polls on Wednesday for the first round of presidential elections in a vote widely seen as a litmus test for upcoming parliamentary elections. There are some concerns the election outcome could affect North Macedonia's relations with Greece and Bulgaria - given references to the Prespa Agreement and constitutional changes Sofia is calling for - and further complicate its EU accession process. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini's English Edition and Politico's Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Wednesday's election and its broader implications for the country's relations with its neighbors and its EU aspirations.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:North Macedonia polls to test EU driveFirst round of North Macedonia's presidential polls shows big shift towards center-right oppositionAmalthea corridor ‘awaiting Gaza pier'Greece rules out air defence systems to Ukraine, prime minister says

Greece's Ambassador to the US, Alexandra Papadopoulou,  joins us to discuss the importance of North Macedonia's first parliamentary elections since ratifying the Prespa Agreement with Greece, and Greece's call for crippling EU sanctions should Ankara proceed with plans to conduct hydrocarbon explorations in Greek waters. You can read the articles we discuss on the Daily Roundup here:North Macedonia's Social Democrats grab slim election victoryGreece wants 'crippling' EU sanctions ready to use on TurkeyHellenic Caucus Co-Chairs Maloney and Bilirakis Introduce House Resolution Calling on Turkey to Respect Religious Freedom of Ecumenical PatriarchateBig choices for EU leaders on recovery billionsEurope's Top Court Strikes Down Key Rules Of U.S.-EU Data TransferEU court ruling strikes hammer blow to transatlantic data flows

EN - Michael Nevradakis, producer/host of Dialogos Radio, interviewed on Fault Lines Radio with Garland Nixon and Lee Stranahan (Radio Sputnik US) on history of the Macedonia name dispute, Soros involvement in the issue. In English. Aired Oct. 17, 2019.

Athens has a long history of escalating tension between protesting crowds and police forces, but nowhere more so than the district of Exarcheia. From the Polytechnic Uprising of 1973 to the anti-Prespa Agreement protest in January of 2019, the area of Exarcheia has notoriously been at the epicentre of the historic vendetta between discontented citizens and state apparatuses. No event in Greece’s recent history has established this district as a law-defying enclave than the outbreak of riots in 2008, following the death of the young Alexis Grigoropoulos at the hands of a police officer. His death was the catalyst lighting a fire out of the brewing anger and desperation amongst the people of Greece, which was fuelled by violent suppression and lasted for nearly a month. This podcast tells the turbulent story of Exarcheia, from then until now.

In a time when Europe is divided and geopolitical tensions are high, North Macedonia has delivered on its promises. By reaching the Prespa Agreement with Greece and normalising relations with Bulgaria, it has bolstered its efforts to join the EU and NATO. That was the main conclusion that participants reached during Friends of Europe’s ‘Conversation With’ the President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski. President Pendarovski stressed the importance of his country’s new agreements with its neighbours and the citizens’ support for the Prespa Agreement in a recent referendum. He also reminded the audience that his country is making great strides to better reflect its multi-ethnic identity – elevating the Albanian language to co-official language status and receiving a large backing from multi-ethnic political parties. However, President Pendarovski also warned that this is far from over. He wants to see EU accession negotiations start before the end of the year. Despite some EU member states expressing doubts about accession talks, he remains optimistic and reminded everyone that no EU member state has really positioned itself against North Macedonia’s accession. When asked if he had a plan B to the EU, he said “my plan B is EU accession”, thus reiterating his commitment to making North Macedonia the next EU member state. He also hopes that North Macedonia will become the Alliance’s 30th member before the next NATO summit in London. When asked if NATO was perhaps suffering from enlargement fatigue, he recalled that “fatigue goes both ways”, as Skopje is also tired of waiting. Failing to deliver on promises could leave many of those who voted in favour of the Prespa Agreement disillusioned. When asked if any agreements with neighbouring countries could be threatened by EU inaction, President Pendarovski told the audience that reconciliation initiatives are already in motion with Bulgaria and that he is confident the upcoming Greek parliamentary elections won’t change current relations or the Prespa Agreement. Find out more at the event page: https://www.friendsofeurope.org/events/north-macedonia-and-its-quest-for-euro-atlantic-integration/

GR - Interview with Francis Boyle, professor of international law at the University of Illinois, on the illegality of the Prespa Agreement which established "North Macedonia" and on how the agreement can be disputed. In Greek. Aired May 29-June 4, 2019.

EN - An interview with analyst Jim Jatras, a former U.S. diplomat and former adviser to U.S. Senate Republican leadership, on developments in the Balkans, the Prespa Agreement, U.S. foreign policy, NATO, Brexit and more. In English. Aired May 22-28, 2019.

GR - Michael Nevradakis, producer/host of Dialogos Radio, on the "Spilia tou Platona" radio program on ERT Open 106.7 FM in Athens, discussing the suspicious role of Greek diaspora organizations in the Macedonia name issue. In Greek. Aired March 29, 2019.

EN - Michael Nevradakis of Dialogos Radio interviewed on "Siko Ellina" with Parmenion Livanidis on Art FM 90.6, on the Macedonia issue, UN mediator Matthew Nimetz, the Prespa Agreement, and the role of the "Greek Lobby." In Greek. Aired March 27, 2019.

EN - Interview with Francis Boyle, professor of international law at the University of Illinois, on the illegality of the Prespa Agreement which established "North Macedonia" and on how the agreement can be disputed. In English. Aired March 14-22, 2019.

Deputy Prime Minister Radmila Šekerinska, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, joins Dr. Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Rachel Rizzo to discuss the Prespa Agreement and North Macedonia’s future role in NATO and the EU.

GR-Michael Nevradakis, producer/host of Dialogos Radio, interviewed on the "Spilia tou Platona" radio program on ERT Open 106.7 FM in Athens, on declassified CIA documents showing that the "Macedonian" language was invented. In Greek. Aired March 8, 2019.

GR-Dialogos Radio's Michael Nevradakis interviewed on New York's Hellas FM by Dimitris Filippidis on Macedonia, Prespa Agreement, Matthew Nimetz' conflicts of interest, protests against the deal, developments in the Balkans. In Greek. Aired Feb. 27, 2019.

GR - Interview w/ Michael Nevradakis (Dialogos Radio) and Evans Agelissopoulos on ERT Open's "Spilia tou Platona" program, on the silence of Greek diaspora organizations towards the Prespa Agreement, plus Cyprus, Brexit. In Greek. Aired February 22, 2019.

GR - Michael Nevradakis of Dialogos Radio interviewed on "Ellada Ora Miden" with Kostas Wills on Art FM 90.6, on the Macedonia issue, Prespa deal, lack of impartiality of Matthew Nimetz, role of foreign media on Greek issues. In Greek. Aired Feb 16, 2019.

GR - Michael Nevradakis of Dialogos Radio interviewed on "Spilia tou Platona" w/ Periklis Danopoulos, on ERT Open 106.7 FM in Athens, on the UN's Macedonia mediator Matthew Nimetz, his dark past, and his lack of impartiality. In Greek. Aired Feb. 8, 2019.

EN - Michael Nevradakis of Dialogos Radio interviewed on Radio Sputnik's Fault Lines on the Macedonia issue, the Prespa Agreement and its illegal nature, and the geopolitical implications that may follow in the region. In English. Aired January 25, 2019.

EN - Michael Nevradakis of Dialogos Radio interviewed on Radio Sputnik's "Trendstorm" program with Andrew Korybko, on the Macedonia issue and the geopolitical implications of the Prespa Agreement for Greece and the Balkans. In English. Aired Jan 25, 2019.