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I agree with your proposal linking the new name for FYROM to take effect when they are accepted into the EU, I think this might help speed this process along. As Macedonia is a region that covers an area of three modern day countries, I do not believe anyone should have the exclusive right to use the term “Macedonia” on its own.

The Greek proposal of a “geographical qualifier” ie Northern/Upper/New/Vardar/Slav Macedonia (which ever one is agreed on by both countries) to be used “Erga Omnes” (i.e. the new name is to be used by everyone in all bilateral and international dealings) is very reasonable.

I go one step further, maybe Greece might want to think about changing the name of its region to something like Aegean/Ancient Macedonia (i’m not sure if this will help or stall the process) which will take effect the same time the new name for FYROM is adopted.

This way there is no confusion between FYROM and the Macedonian region in Greece.

I believe that previous FYROM governments in the late 90′s were probably more willing to accept a name change with a “geographical qualifier”, but Greece was so insistent that the term “Macedonia” not be included in any part of FYROMs new name. I think Greece has to take a big portion of the blame for this name issue. I believe Greece’s current position is fair for both sides. What is your view on this?

Gerald, on another note, I would like to know what your position is, on what the official language will be for FYROM (along with Albanian). I think something like the term Makedonski or Macedonija might be more appropriate than “Macedonian” as these terms better describe the Slavic nature of FYROMs main official language.

Macedonian will be Macedonia.

The Interim Accord between the two countries (1994) does not allow Greece to block Macedonia to enter EU, NATO or other organisations under the provisional name. The ICJ has determined in favour of Macedonia a year ago. Hello? Is there anyone in the EU following the rule of the law? Or is it purely geo-politics driving the process while feeding all sorts of b/s to the Macedonian people about EU solidarity, democracy, rule of the law and so on.

EU needs to stop with the silly menthal acrobatics about the problem that Greece has with the Maceodnian name. If ESI wants to do something useful you should push for the human rights of the MAcedonian people living in Greece. They have been persecuted for a hundred years including the last 30-40 years within the borders of the EU. It is absolutely shocking that not a single EU politician, nor a group with the exception of the EFA, have had the decency to deal with this issue.

This is the cause of the “name problem”, but MAcedonians know that EU knows, thanks very much.

EU is losing whatever credibility it had in Macedonia, or Macedonians living elsewhere. The Macedonians 20 years ago were lucky to escape the totalitarian regime but would be out of their mind to enter another union based on rotten practices. That is the sentiment in Macedonia – trust me! But EU don’t really care, they’ve got a bif thumb haven’t they?

Macedonia forever !!!

Check you facts Mr. ProblemSolver, the Macedonians do not like FYROM not because it has Yugoslavia in it (which admittedly is weird because non of the other ex-Yugoslavian countries have that name contained within their original names) but because it was forced on them by a immature government couple of hundred km south of Skopje.

By the way there exists such a contract already Mr. NotProperlyInformed
The accepting of the name FYROM for foreign use came after a huge pressure and embargo with such a condition that Greece would not block Macedonia’s aspiration to become a member of Nato or EU. Guess what…they broke that by implementing a veto and the Hague court of justice said they did. So you get an A for being optimistic when writing this report but you failed because your article is naive and the idea has been proven as not functional even in the past couple of years.

What if Nato disbands in 10 years? Many alliances have disbanded in the past…
Or more concretely what if this is enough to get the country in Nato but not in EU.
The only real solution is for the EU-whore to man-up and concentrate on the will of the people who live in Macedonia to call themselves and their country the way they want to.
This argument just shows how fucked up the politicians in Europe and the World really are…

Cheers!

I know this is an “old” article, but I only came across it now (just before Christmas 2010 and since this is still hot issue (and I believe it will be for a few more years) I dare make a comment, since you have none so far here.

And please take it one sided if you wish (I am an Australian of Macedonian origin, or “Ethnic Macedonian” as they would say in democratic Australia), I will make comment as seen from my position – physically far from my motherland, but with my heart still in Macedonia.

Firstly, let me congratulate Gerald for his constructive thinking. I do really try to put myself into his shoes and do understand that he’s got a genuine desire to do something positive in resolving this dispute over a name.

The difficulty is Gerald, and I do mean this with the highest respect for your work, that you and all EU politicians cannot even imagine what it feels like when somebody is denying your own identity, your culture, history and language. You cannot imagine how it feels to be alive, and yet others are telling you that you do not exist.

No matter how convincing Greek arguments sound like, they have nothing they are loosing in this “compromise” discussions, as the definition of a compromise is when both sides have to give up something to achieve an agreement where the two sides can be at least partially satisfied.

Most Macedonians, including myself, fail to understand what is that Greece is giving up or loosing in such discussions for a “compromise”? They do not loose anything, on the contrary they intend to cover up their old crime in genocide towards Aegean Macedonians from the time of Metaxas and all other little Hitlers from Greece’s recent past.

So, the proposals and ideas put forward by Gerald (and many other politician and mediators) are, to put it bluntly, efforts to solve a mathematical equation where there are no variables.
This is impossible. If 2+2 = 4, you can not try and find a solution for something that is not a problem, but a simple and obvious logical statement.

It is a childish argument by Greece when they say Skopje has territorial claims over Greece.
The Macedonian constitution even has clear statement where it is explicitly said that Republic of Macedonia has no territorial claims on any of the neighbouring countries (despite Macedonian minorities living their).
This constitutional amendment was done back in the very early days of the Macedonian independence from Yugoslavia in early 1990-es. It was then when also under the Greek pressure – the first Macedonian official flag was also changed (not that Greece ever had such or similar flag, with yellow sun-star on red background – mind you even the Socialistic Republic of Macedonia as part of Yugoslavia, since 1943 had red flag with yellow five-star).

Now, for any reasonable Greek or EU politician this willingness to change the flag and also the constitution would have been clear and sufficient signs that Macedonia doesn’t want trouble, but wants peaceful coexistence in the present day borders.

Of course, this was not understood as a gesture of good will.

Unfortunately, like with their today’s economy and 14-salaries a year, Greek greediness doesn’t stop there. They saw Macedonians are “stupid” and “have no spine”, so why not ask for everything – let’s erase these people completely. Let’s deny their language (which is by the way internationally recognised for decades, and taught in Universities all over the world), let’s deny their identity – they are invented people, created by Tito’s politics…

Well, if one thing is certain, it is that Macedonian people are probably the most tolerant and most hospitable people on the planet, and the ones least interested in fights. I am proud of it.

But don’t assume even for one second that these attributes have no limit.

What is happening today to my Macedonian people is nothing short of pure fascism and genocide in a blue wrapping with yellow stars (yes – you recognised the EU flag).

I blame EU more than the Greek xenophobic government, because EU hasn’t got the guts to tell one of her ill-behaved members that what they are asking is nonsense of the highest order.

I blame the creators of divided Macedonia who have the key when and how this division happened back in 1913 – without consensus of the people living their. They know who they are, but certainly England, France, Austria would be some of the main-players from 1913.

What good is for Macedonia to be accepted in EU if it changes its name and identity?

“We want you in EU, but we don’t really want you as you are, but we will accept you in our “priviledged-club” if you change your identity.”

Can’t you see the stupidity of such a “Democracy of Nations club” ?

Despite all the bitterness I have spelled above, I am optimistic, and I DO know what is the real possible solution Gerald.

Like in Mathematics again, you can solve the problem not by asking the side that has no issue with it’s own name, but by suggesting a solution to the side that created the problem/dispute.

Greece only renamed their Northern Greece province to Macedonia around 20 years ago.
Contrary to that, Republic of Macedonia was Socialistic Republic of Macedonia, since 1943.

Nobody asks Greece why did they rename their Northern province to Macedonia only recently? Isn’t it very obvious that there were some politically manipulating intentions there?
Even Macedonian people and government never really objected to such a change.
We do respect the freedom of choice, even if somebody uses our own name.
Maybe, we are all too well used to have Greeks changing Macedonian names in the Northern Greece for the last 100 years (since 913).

So the solution, as I hinted above, is very clear and just, and should be welcomed by EU: Macedonian people from Republic of Macedonia, but I am also certain Macedonian people from Greece would agree to have this province renamed (again) to Greek Macedonia !

This is an elegant solution as it defines the “Greekness” of that part of Macedonia (which Greeks insist on so much to be recognised as Greek), and it clearly indicates the Geographical difference between “Greek Macedonia” and the Republic of Macedonia.

If Greeks do not like nor accept such a proposal/solution – than there is something really mean and hidden in their propaganda that they are “interested in a compromised solution”, where, again, only the Macedonian side gives up and looses everything and the Greek absolutely nothing. This is why this will never work out.

At the end, please allow me to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.