Tsipras and Zaev officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize: The Prespa Agreement can serve as an example to the Balkans and the wider region

The Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2015, Uided Bushamaui, officially nominated Greek and Macedonian Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

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She stated that the Prespa Agreement, signed in June last year, is a model for a peaceful and constructive resolution of the dispute between the two neighboring countries that can serve as an example to the Balkans and the wider region.

She pointed out that the Prespa Agreement showed that talks, positive energy, determination and a sense of good neighborliness are crucial for resolving all issues, regardless of the "pressure of nationalists on either side".

According to the Greek and Macedonian agencies ANA and MIA, Bushamaui notified Zaev about the nomination.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

Bushamaui is a member of the National Quartet for Dialogue in Tunisia, a group that received Nobel prize for the contribution to democracy after the revolution in that country in 2011.

The proposition was supported by the leaders of the three parliamentary groups in the European Parliament.

The leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Udo Bulman, Ska Keller from the Green-European Free Alliance group and the leader of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left Gabi Zimer explained in a joint statement that the Prespa Agreement ended a long-standing dispute and brings stability to the region of the Western Balkans, reports ANA.

Bulman, Keller and Zimmer assessed that the Prespa Agreement, which was ratified in both countries' parliaments, was "a model for peaceful resolution of international problems through dialogue and mutual compromise."

They stressed that Zaev and Tsipras had "political courage" to insist on the agreement, despite the opposition of nationalists.

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Bulman, Keller, and Zimer add that for all these reasons they support the Nobel Peace Prize winner Ulade Bushamaui's nomination of Tsipras and Zaev for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019.

In December last year, it was announced that Bushamaui would nominate Greek and Macedonian prime ministers for the Nobel Peace Prize for the next year because they reached the Prespa Agreement.

PRESPA AGREEMENT IS THE GREATEST AWARD OF ALL AWARDS

With the Prespa agreement, we contribute to peaceful coexistence, solidarity, cooperation, friendship and peace between both nations, but also in the wider region, and this is the biggest award, said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras commenting on the nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, reports MIA.

- I wrote to Zaev that for us, for me, and I believe the prime minister of Northern Macedonia, the most important award of all awards is the fact that we contribute to the establishment of peaceful coexistence, solidarity, cooperation, friendship and peace in the wider region, but also among our nations, and that this award cannot be compared to any other - said Tsipras.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

He said that when progressive forces and progressive governments take responsibility, then they prove that they can tackle problems for a better future of peoples and regions, especially in the Balkans, where the main perception was "not a compromise and consensus, but national hatreds and conflicts".

- When I say we, I am not referring to individuals, but to political forces in Greece and Northern Macedonia, who joined forces in the attempt to tackle the dominant rhetorics of nationalism, quasi-patriotism, impressionism, and emotionalism in order to find a solution for the perspective of the future and the future. In practice, we show that when there are progressive forces and progressive governments that have the courage and do not care about the political value in defending values, then all the known history of the Balkans can be marginalized and that history is written about the past, but which is dedicated to the present and the future of the people - said the Greek Prime Minister.

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(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug / Sputnik)