Officials from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) said they expect United Nations mediator Matthew Nimetz on April 16 to put forward a compromise name solution that would be acceptable to Greece and end two decades of bickering, although previous hopes have all been dashed.
Nimetz has recommended that FYROM, which is called Macedonia by much of the world, be officially named The Upper Republic of Macedonia and that Greece accept it.
It would be a tough call for Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who as foreign minister when the name debate began, opposed allowing the use of the word Macedonia and left the New Democracy government, leading to its downfall.
Seen from Athens, the official name used by Skopje – the Republic of Macedonia – is an open challenge to the neighboring Greek region of Macedonia. Greece’s constant veto over the use of the name Macedonia has kept FYROM out of NATO and from beginning European Union accession status although it became a candidate in 2005.
According to reports quoting the Nimetz proposal, the new name would be used during the negotiations on FYROM’s accession to the EU, which would take at least seven to eight years. After that, a referendum would be held and the citizens of FYROM would be asked to vote on the two issues: joining the EU and changing the name to the Upper Republic of Macedonia.
Also, FYROM would enter an amendment into its Constitution that would read as follows: “From the day the Republic of Macedonia joins the EU, the international name of the country will be the Upper Republic of Macedonia and will be used in all languages - except in official languages of the country.”
Greece has not reacted to the new proposal. According to some reports, Athens would like the geographical determinant Upper to be placed before the word Macedonia, the name being Republic of Upper Macedonia, but still allowing the use of the word Macedonia that Samaras has always adamantly opposed.
According to reports, Skopje and Athens are expected to state their position on the proposal in the coming days and reach an agreement by mid-May. But FYROM still runs the risk that Bulgaria would veto the opening of EU accession talks with Macedonia.
In November, Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev said that his country cannot grant an EU certificate to the actions of the government in Skopje which is systematically employing “an ideology of hate towards Bulgaria.”
FYROM has retaliated in kind toward Bulgaria, as shown in the film Third Halftime that depicts wartime Bulgarians as fascists, despite the Bulgarian government’s decision to refuse Nazi orders to deport the 48,000 Jews in the country to concentration camps.
A FYROM-sponsored exhibition of medeival manuscripts in Brussels recently infuriated Bulgaria. The manuscripts, which mention Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language only, have been highlighted as FYROM manuscripts, what critics said is another example of FYROM trying to claim what it doesn’t own, including northern Greek territories, Alexander the Great and the port of Thessaloniki in Greece.
Four rounds of talks were held between Sofia and Skopje in an effort to agree on series of measures for improving relations between the two countries. According to information obtained by the Bulgarian national radio, Bulgaria is not satisfied with the results obtained.
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