A storm of political reactions was provoked when the Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyanni allowed her Macedonian colleague Antonio Milošoski to arrive in Corfu with an airplane of the state airline MAT (Macedonian Air Transport). Milošoski will take part in the foreign ministers meeting of OSCE, which will take place on the Ionian island on June 28^th and 29^th. Dora Bakoyanni’s decision is a brave gesture towards Macedonia. Until now Greece was refusing to accept airplanes of the state airline due to symbolic signs, which include the name “Macedonia.”

Due to Antonio Milošoski’s participation in the forum in Corfu, the Greek Foreign Ministry has issued a permit for this flight as an “exception.” “Greek foreign policy has not changed. This permit was issued as an exception,” said a spokesman of the foreign ministry, because of the strong negative reaction from the opposition.

It is interesting to note that the mediator for the name argument between Greece and Macedonia, Matthew Nimetz, usually travels by car between Athens and Skopje. And Greece is pressuring Eurocontrol to press MAT to change its name, in order to fly around Europe.