North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said on Friday that the name “Macedonia” is sacred to him, stressing that he reserves the right to freedom of speech and expression.

“I am not someone who allows himself to be censored or threatened. For me, the name Macedonia is sacred and I have the right to say what I think,” Mickoski said in Skopje, responding to a journalist’s question about a recent reaction from Greece’s foreign ministry.

Earlier this week, Greece’s Foreign Ministry reminded Mickoski that the neighboring country’s constitutional name is “North Macedonia,” as explicitly stipulated in the Prespa Agreement, which is fully binding on both sides at both the international and domestic levels.

The Greek statement also underlined that progress in bilateral relations with North Macedonia, as well as the smooth continuation of its European integration path, depends on strict adherence to the agreed terms and respect for the principle of good-neighborly relations.

Athens’ response was prompted by remarks from Mickoski in which he said that, in practice, he has reinstated the use of the name “Macedonia” during his tenure as prime minister.