Greece took action against Russian diplomats in the context of the Macedonian file

Greece announced on Wednesday that it had taken measures to ensure its national security against Russian officials, against what it considered an intervention in the settlement of the dispute with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

. "The Greek government wants good relations with all countries, but it can not accept behavior that violates international law and does not respect the Greek authorities," spokesman Dimitris Zanakopoulos told Sky television. "In this context, And no further detail has been provided in commenting on an article in the Greek newspaper" Cathimerini ", citing diplomatic sources, that" Athens was preparing "to expel immediately two diplomats, l & # 39; one of them Viktor Yakovlev, an employee of the Russian Embbady in Athens, "and to prevent two other diplomats from entering the country.

A source said:" There is had a problem in the Macedonian file. "According to the official" Art1 "channel, the targeted authorities were arrested" last week for the crime of the accursed "

The channel reported that Athens accuses them of having tried to influence the monks of Mount Athos in the north-east of the country.

A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow said that "Russia will take similar measures as is normally the case in such circumstances. "

A government source confirmed that Athens" keep communication channels "with Russia, adding that Greece" has no problems with me "In mid-June, Athens and Skopje have signed an agreement to resolve their 27-year dispute over the designation of Macedonia to circumvent the Greek objection to the accession of this small former Yugoslav republic to NATO.

The agreement will change the name of the country to "Northern Macedonia".

The agreement is to change the name of the state to "Northern Macedonia".

Hundreds of thousands of Greeks protested in February and May, In the past against the possibility of an agreement on the sharing of the name of Macedonia with the neighboring state, finally concluded by the government leftist of Alexis Tsipras despite strong opposition from the right and nationalists.

In the latest opinion poll, a majority of Greeks expressed their rejection of the agreement between Skopje and Athens on the name of "Northern Macedonia" aimed at ending the dispute between the two neighbors.

Percentage of the nine thousand and eight hundred people interviewed Greece refused to accept the right to use the name of "Macedonia", saying that it can not be launched Only in their province North. Athens fears future regional ambitions for its neighbor in this region.