The Macedonian representative and negotiator with Greece in the name issue complained that the Republic of North Macedonia was punished not because it had failed to fulfill NATO accession criteria, but because it had been trying to defend its national identity.
马其顿的与会代表，同时也是就国名问题与希腊谈判的人员抱怨说，马其顿共和国受到惩罚的原因，不是因为它未能达到加入北约的标准，而是因为它一直试图捍卫其国家身份。