The Government will not comment on Mr. Branko Crvenkovski in the future, just like it has not commented on him so far. We have a program and we promised citizens that we would fulfill this program, Deputy Prime Minister for EU Affairs Ivica Bocevski said on Friday, commenting on the Macedonian president’s assertions presented at Thursday’s press conference, Nova Makedonija reports.

“It would be interesting for Mr. Crvenkovski to examine his own political biography, from the start till today, in light of every point that he mentioned as criticism of our work. He should examine his own work and he should compare it with his criticism. It will be interesting to hear his comment. Macedonia’s history will give the final comment in any event. Macedonia’s history will have plenty to say, both for his and our work,” Bocevski said.

With regards to the initiative for including the issue of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in the talks on the name with Greece, the deputy prime minister stated that the name issue is a multiplex issue and that it goes to the heart of the Macedonian identity, history, ethnicity, and culture.

President Branko Crvenkovski said Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's letter calling for recognition of the Macedonian Orthodox Church was counterproductive.