Gruevski denies Wikileaks information that Macedonia agreed in 2008 to change its name: "We will listen to the various nonsense of the government during the campaign"

Former Prime Minister of Macedonia and VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski rejected the allegations made by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, who, referring to Wikileaks, announced that the Macedonian authorities accepted the change of the name of that country in the Republic of Northern Macedonia in 2008 and considered it to be "useless attempt of the current government" and "nonsense".

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- These are useless attempts by the government, and there will likely be more of them. They are now in the campaign and we will listen to different nonsense. It is clear why I am in court and why this is classical political persecution and torture - said Gruevski at a press conference.

Kathimerini announced yesterday that Skopje had agreed in 2008 to change the name to the Republic of Northern Macedonia, provided that this included the recognition of the "Macedonian" language and nationality.

Citing the document of the US Embassy in Skopje, published by Wikileaks, the Greek daily said that it was a confidential document titled "What should Macedonians do to resolve the name dispute", dated July 29, 2008, compiled by the then US Ambassador to Skopje Zilijen Milovanovic.

Foto: Tanjug/AP/Boris Grdanoski

The document showed that the goals of Macedonia have not changed much in the last decade and that they have been reached to some extent by the Greek-Macedonian agreement since June this year.

The first part of the document mentions that Milovanovic presented his conclusions after talks with then-President and Prime Minister of Macedonia, Branko Crvenkovski and Nikola Gruevski, and stated which conditions would be acceptable to the country.

Gruevski told reporters that there are a number of irregularities in the work of the Appellate Court on his appeal to a verdict sentencing him to two years in prison for the purchase of "Mercedes" government vehicle.

The plan was, according to him, for the court to reach the decision by September 7th so he could be arrested before the referendum on September 30th.

He announced that he won't appear at the hearing.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug)