LOCAL PRESS

 

Dacic to represent Serbia at UN Security Council session (srbija.gov.rs)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic will represent Serbia at today’s session of the United Nations Security Council, which will discuss the Report of the Secretary General on UNMIK work. In addition to advocating for maintaining the regular dynamics and format of the UN SC meetings on UNMIK’s work, as well as supporting the work of this mission to an unlimited extent and with an unchanged mandate, Dacic will present a review of UN Secretary-General’s reports on the work of UNMIK. In addition, he will outline Serbia's assessment of the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija, especially in the context of a number of provocative and unilateral moves of Pristina in the previous period, as well as the increased number of attacks on Serbs and their property in the province.

 

Dacic: Kosovo especially risky region for recruiting jihadists (Politika)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic assessed in Washington that Kosovo was an especially risky region for recruiting members of the Islamic state. Dacic spoke at the second session of the ministerial meeting on the theme “Coalition in 2019”. He reminded that the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, when looking at the total number of inhabitants, is the territory that the most participants of the wars in the Daesh come from. The great danger is that they will return to our region and that terrorist acts will be transferred to our region, he said adding that Serbia will continue its active participation in the Coalition for the fight against Daesh. “With the emergence of DAESH and its affiliated groups terrorism has taken on a new form of organization and brutality. Serbia has timely recognized this threat and was among the first to join the Global Coalition against DAESH…I come from a country that way back in the early 1990s faced the scourge of international terrorism when more than 7,000 foreign fighters coming from various parts of the world, mostly from Afghanistan, came to fight in the civil war waged in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. That evil was not properly recognized at the time by the international community. Many terrorists who took part in the war in the former Yugoslavia, later took part in the attacks in New York, Madrid and other places. Many terrorists that subsequently rained terror all over the world saw those terrorists as role models and teachers. The war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia was a training ground for terrorists and, what is more dangerous, a breeding ground for radicalism and extremism. The seeds of extremism and radicalism sown then and there bore bitter fruit in Iraq and Syria when several hundred terrorists left the former Yugoslavia to fight on the side of DAESH, even entire families. This is a horrible truth that we have to face. More than 20 000 foreign fighters, mostly from European countries went there. Most of those people returned home or will return battle-hardened and additionally radicalized. Very few of those who returned were disappointed. We are of the view that at this critical point we need to totally bring down extremist movements, primarily DAESH and that it is now of key importance to prevent its resurgence and recovery. Serbia can and wishes to help achieve that goal and to make its full contribution to this global effort. I would like to recall that five years ago the legislation of the Republic of Serbia criminalized the participation in foreign wars, recruitment, financing and training of extremists. The Serbian courts have already committed to 6-11 year jail sentences several extremists who fought in Syria on the side of DAESH or who raised funds for or recruited new fighters. We perceive Kosovo and Metohija as a particularly risky territory for recruitment of DAESH fighters since according to our estimates more than 300 extremists from that territory fought on the side of DAESH, which makes them in terms of percentages compared to the number of inhabitants the most numerous group among DAESH foreign fighters. The return of any of them to the region poses a security risk and a threat to our society, so we have to harsh in dealing with any intent on their part to spread the virus of terrorism to the Balkans. In that respect, we are strongly advocating even more intensive cooperation among security forces, police and judicial authorities in the fight against terrorist organizations, particularly in the fight against terrorist financing and those recruiting and training terrorists. The security of our citizens and states depend on the success of this cooperation. The Republic of Serbia remains committed to this and other forms of partnership with you, the members of the Coalition, and will make its utmost contribution to our joint fight against our common enemy,” Dacic said.

 

Dacic: Thaci and Haradinaj – good cop, bad cop (Tanjug/VoA)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has told the Voice of America that he respects the fact that US is exerting pressure on Pristina to abolish taxes but he believes they can succeed in this.

He says that Ramush Haradinaj and Hashim Thaci are playing different roles in the negotiations on Kosovo and that it isn’t clear who is whose cop. “Obviously one is playing the good cop, and the other one the bad one. The question is who is whose cop. That is why I said that I respect the fact that the US was exerting pressure on Pristina, but I can’t believe that they haven’t succeeded in that,” notes Dacic. In regard to the statement by the Prime Minister of the provisional Pristina institutions Ramush Haradinaj that he is stopping communication with UNMIK, Dacic says this is not a new topic. “Haradinaj is only one in the authorities, they are playing good and bad cops. Of course, I think this is a scandalous statement and it will scandalous if this happens. There are obligations of all Security Council members to warn Kosovo that this can’t be done. That is why I precisely think that it is necessary to hold the session,” said Dacic.

 

Scott: US continuously urges Pristina to abolish taxes (RTS/Beta)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked with US Ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott about the recent visit to that country and the possibilities of expanding cooperation, first of all, in the field of economy. As a good example, she stated the results of an agreement with representatives of NCR, which has been operating in Serbia for many years, about building campuses in Belgrade and expanding business in our country. Regarding the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Brnabic stressed that it is necessary for Pristina to abolish taxes that violate the provisions of CEFTA, in order to continue the Brussels dialogue and to seek a compromise solution for the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. Scott reiterated that the United States continuously urges the authorities in Pristina to abolish the taxes on goods from Serbia, emphasizing that Pristina fees are an obstacle to dialogue. He added that the US supports Belgrade's efforts to normalize relations with Pristina and is ready to help achieve a viable solution that would allow stability and progress throughout the region.

 

Britain supports Serbia’s EU path (Beta)

 

Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic spoke in London with UK Minister of State for Europe and the Americas Alan Duncan about cooperation between the two countries and the European path of Serbia. Mihajlovic said that she talked with Duncan about the agreements that the two countries should harmonize, as well as about infrastructure projects in Serbia and regional integration within the framework of the Berlin Process. She said that she received assurances from Duncan that the United Kingdom will provide full support to Serbia on its way to full membership in the European Union.

 

Selakovic: Important for Serbia to awaken, campaign is transparent (RTS)

 

Serbian President’s General Secretary Nikola Selakovic told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) that the President is commencing the campaign “Serbia’s Future” from a region in Serbia that was neglected in the past. “He is going in order to show entire Serbia what has been done to this date, especially from 2014. We think that Serbian citizens are not sufficiently acquainted with that,” said Selakovic. He says that the decision on the campaign had not been made suddenly because, as he put it, “Vucic doesn’t work suddenly and doesn’t make hasty moves”. Asked whether funds from the budget had been planned for the campaign “Serbia’s Future”, Selakovic responded with a counter-question: “What do you think the money has been planned for when the President tours his state? Everything is transparent regarding this,” said Selakovic, stressing that the opposition that sees an election campaign in the campaign is seeing itself. To the journalist remark that, based on what he had said one can conclude that the campaign “Serbia’s Future” has nothing to with possible early parliamentary elections, Selakovic commented: “I didn’t say that.”

 

EP: Pre-accession assistance should be suspended if democracy and rule of law are not respected (Tanjug)

 

European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) demanded that the financial assistance for the countries in the EU accession process should be redistributed fairly, but that it should also be suspended in the cases of disrespect for democracy and the rule of law. “EU Funds for the countries wanting to become members of the Union have to be redistributed on fair grounds and suspended in the cases of disrespect for democracy and the rule of law,” MEPs stated. AFET adopted a position on the third Instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA III).

The proposal entails a conditioning provision, which implies that the countries in the process of accession which do not respect the core EU values of democracy, rule of law and human rights would face clear consequences in the sense of EU finances. “European Commission should suspend or temporarily block pre-accession assistance in the cases of constant violation of one or multiple Copenhagen criteria by the candidate countries,” Committee on Foreign Affairs.

MEPs also welcomed that the proposed framework for IPA III would be based on priorities and “fair participation principle”, rather than a country framework. “It would introduce a larger flexibility in solving the rising needs of the partners and enable rewarding progress and achievements of the accession countries”, AFET’s announcement reads. AFET members also urged the authorities in the countries which are in the process of enlargement to do more on raising awareness of EU funds and provide local media and wider public with the information on how the EU is contributing to this area. The final position of the European Parliament, which contains a mandate for entering the negotiations with the Council should be adopted on 2 March, during the plenary session in Strasbourg. In order to become obligatory, the text of this regulation must be agreed upon by both the European Parliament and the Council of EU.

 

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

SDA: The decision of BH bloc weakens the patriotic political front (Fena)

 

The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) believes that the attacks on the sovereignty and integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) we are witnessing requires the unity of all Bosnian political patriotic forces, says the party. And considers that the decision of BH block to remains opposition at all levels of government weakens the patriotic political front.

 

All Bosniak parties turned their backs to SDA (Nezavisne)

 

After the BH block turned their back to SDA, no other party from this corps is in a position to enter the coalition with the strongest Bosniak party. Namely, the SDA plan to form a coalition with the "BH block" and to form a government with them at the state and at the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina level has failed. The SDA, led by Bakir Izetbegovic, has been lobbying for months to join the "BH Bloc" in order to create a broad coalition of Bosniak parties, which would then form the government with electoral winners in the Serbian and Croatian corps.

In addition, other parties do not want to have anything with the SDA. Neither SBB nor the PDA want the SDA in the coalition, so the strongest Bosniak party will hardly assemble these parties under its roof. "By rejecting our call for unify in protecting the interests of the state, the leaders of this bloc have cowardly escaped responsibility and thus consciously contributed to the weakening of the patriotic political front fighting for B&H," reads the statement issued by SDA. Slavo Kukic, an analyst from Mostar, believes that the coalition with the SDA would be an unnatural alliance and certainly would not bring any good to the parties of the "bloc".

"Indeed, I personally think that the SDA offered a coalition to follow the processes that are evident in Republika Srpska (RS), where Milorad Dodik became an absolute master and mostly destroyed his opposition there," Kukic emphasized. Also, the "BH Bloc" is even considering withdrawal from the government in the parts of B&H where they have won the majority, since the representatives of the parties that make up this block (SDP, DF and Our Party) have unanimously decided to be opposition at all levels. The statements coming from the Democratic Front, namely, Zeljko Komsic, DF leader, substantiate this, as they demand full principledness, of opposition at all levels. “BH Block will remain opposition at all levels, from state to canton" Komsic said categorically. His colleague Dzenan Djonlagic, a member of the DF Presidency and the head of the Club of Deputies of this party in the B&H House of Representatives, said that they made a unanimous decision to dismiss the coalition with SDA, SNSD and HDZ B&H at the B&H level, and that the decision to remain opposition is valid for all levels of government.

Sasa Magazinovic, the head of the SDP B&H Club in the B&H House of Representatives, said that even without the opposition, the SDA, SNSD and HDZ B&H have the majority, and that they have showed it when they choose the members of the leadership of this House. Damir Arnaut, a SBB deputy in the B&H House of Representatives, believes that the patriotic duty is not to enter into any combination with the SDA. "As for the SNSD and HDZ, they voted for Denis Zvizdic, and against Nermin Niksic as a member of the Collegium in the state parliament, they have already chosen the SDA for a partner, which proves the correctness of my first sentence," Arnaut told to Nezavisne. The SDA, HDZ and SNSD with the parties gathered around them have a narrow majority in the B&H House of Representatives. Out of 42 deputies in this House, these parties have 23 deputies. This means that they could form the government without some major problems, but it would be better and more secure if some of the smaller parties in the B&H House of Representatives joined them to make the majority stronger.

 

High Representative: International community is against imposing of any decisions (N1)

 

The Bonn powers are still there, but the atmosphere concerning their use has changed, said Valentin Inzko, International community's top official in charge of overseeing the civilian implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the war and contains the country’s Constitution. According to Inzko, the international community’s body called the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) which oversees the work of High Representatives in B&H, told him to break the habit of using the Bonn Powers and to let B&H officials solve issues for themselves. “The PIC suggested that I should break the habit of previous high representatives, of using the Bonn Powers,” the High Representative in B&H said for N1. Inzko commented on a recent initiative the country’s main Bosniak Party for Democratic Action (SDA) had announced on challenge the name RS, which heightened ethnic tensions. “Of course, it is not anti-Dayton to submit a request to the Constitutional Court” he said, arguing that others also submitted requests to the Court asking it to assess whether other things are in line with the Constitution. “However, RS is a category included in the Dayton Agreement and Bosniak representatives in Dayton signed off on it to be named that way,” he said. Speaking about the frequent denial of the Srebrenica genocide and glorification of war criminals, Inzko said he would gladly impose the law against the denial of the genocide and holocaust, and that the PIC might agree to this idea.

Asked whether politicians in Bosnia sometimes create a crisis, the High Representative said that he once saw a message on the cellphone of a B&H politician supposedly addressed to another politician which said: “attack me a little bit.” It happened eight years ago, he said, but would not reveal who the involved politicians were. “Some of the politicians, when they are attacked, become big defenders of their people,” Inzko said.

 

Completion of the Council of Peoples of RS (Srna)

 

Aleksandra Dalsaso Lepir from among the Other people's ranks was elected for the deputy chairman of the RS Council of Peoples. At the third session of the new Council convening in Banja Luka, the presidency of the RS Council of Peoples was fully constituted. Nada Tesanovic, the presiding judge of the RS Council of Peoples, at a press conference after the session, recalled that Vojislav Gligic from the Serb people's ranks was elected as the vice-president and Dzevad Mahmutovic from the Bosniak people's ranks. "We have elected the commissions, dismissed the president of the legislative-law commission because Jovan Carkic was elected secretary general of the Council, and with the election of the Constitutional Commission we have finished constituting the Council," Tesanovic said.

 

Viskovic: Government committed to support UN activities (Srna)

 

During a meeting with UNDP B&H representatives, RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic pointed out the government's commitment to cooperation and support for UN activities in RS, which are an important support to the implementation of reform processes and overall social development. Viskovic and Acting Resident Representative of the UNDP B&H, Sukhrob Hoshmukhamedov, talked about projects that are being implemented in RS in cooperation with UNDP, whose implementation includes republic institutions and local communities across RS, announced the Public Relations Bureau of the RS government. During the meeting, the participants assessed that the cooperation so far was good, and voiced their commitment to its further improvement by implementing programs that are in line with the goals of sustainable development of the United Nations, which include the fields of local development, environmental protection, employment and social inclusion, health, and the rule of law.

Mr. Hoshmukhamedov informed the prime minister of RS about the priorities of UNDP, as well as the plans for continuing the implementation of the programs in RS and B&H. The meeting was also attended by Head of UNDP Office in Banja Luka, Goran Vukmir.

 

Komsic welcomes the signing of Protocol on Macedonia's accession to NATO (Fena)

 

The B&H Presidency member Zeljko Komsic welcomed the signing of the Protocol on the Accession of the Republic of Northern Macedonia to NATO, saying it is an important historical moment for both the country and its citizens.

 

Zaev’s comment about NATO’s Accession Protocol: This is a big, historical day for all our citizens (Meta)

 

The President of the government, Zoran Zaev, regarding the signing of the Accession Protocol for the membership of our country into NATO by the 29 countries members, has congratulated all of the citizens. “This is a big, historical day for all of our citizens. Today, the biggest security alliance in the world, NATO, has welcomed us. We sat shoulder to shoulder with our allies, on the same table as part of the same alliance. We are happy, and we have a reason to be because we have secured permanent stability for our country. We have secured safety, security, and peace. The progress and development are now unstoppable. Our generations and the children of our generations will live better, in a country and a region that is radiating with hope. Congratulations, we should be proud,” said Zaev in his greeting.

 

Ivanov welcomes the signing of the NATO Accession Protocol (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov welcomes Macedonia’s signing of the Accession Protocol with NATO, as has always been supportive of the country’s strategic goals, reads the press release from his Cabinet. “The Macedonian President believes it is unfortunate that the signing of the Protocol was preceded by an agreement that changes the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia, which has caused permanent harm to Macedonian national interests,” the release reads. The thirtieth place in NATO is well deserved by the Republic of Macedonia, according to President Ivanov, as all standards have long been met by the Republic of Macedonia’s army, due to the contribution of all past governments of the Republic of Macedonia.

 

Gruevski congratulated the signing of the Accession Protocol with NATO (Meta)

 

The fugitive Nikola Gruevski congratulated the singing of the Accession Protocol with NATO in Brussels on his Facebook profile. In his, as he states, “thinking of a new national strategy after the new situation with the name” he is making an analysis – in several installments – about the meaning of the country’s membership in NATO, a parallel with the activities of the old VMRO and their fight for freedom. “It is not a secret that all throughout my work in politics, from the very start and until today, I have been an open supporter of Macedonia’s membership in NATO and EU. The difference with SDSM is that I didn’t want this to happen in this manner, with a humiliating and damaging agreement, with a complete surrender of the hard-won and bloody earned, and in the aftermath, it will take years to fight and repair the damage with all the risks in that intent. But, outside of that, I was thinking and I still think the same, that the Republic of Macedonia’s place is unequivocally in NATO and EU. That the party tried to create a different picture with the use of paid propaganda for other goals is another matter. When they did this to us by use of force and against the constitution regarding the name, the identity and the history, when that is happening with the use of force and against the will of the people is becoming a reality, we should use this situation and a day sooner this country should become a member of NATO and start and sooner to finish the negotiations for a fully-fledged membership in the EU.

It will take 18 months for the process with NATO to finish, and for EU it will probably take 6 to 8 years from now, depending on many factors. If there are no early parliamentary elections, until 2020, the NATO membership will be accomplished, by then, and I’m hoping that at least 20-30% of the necessary reforms and negotiations for an EU membership. When the puppet government is replaced, the process of the EU accession should be accomplished without creating additional risks” said Gruevski on his Facebook profile in his first part of his analysis.

He even warns that “in the next 6-8 years we should be very careful not to remain both without the name and the EU. Since we brought into this difficult situation by the puppet government and since we lost our name and nationality, we need to get into EU first and then after we prepare the groundwork and necessary allies, we should correct the caused damage which will not be an easy operation,” writes Gruevski.

 

International allies congratulate the signing of the NATO accession protocol (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn has welcomed the signature of the NATO Accession Protocol with Macedonia. “Congrats! A contribution to peace and stability in the Western Balkans and beyond!” Hahn tweeted on Wednesday. The German Federal Foreign Office has welcomed Wednesday the signing of the Accession Protocol between NATO and Macedonia, calling it its ‘new NATO partner.’ “The future Republic of North Macedonia is now at route to becoming a NATO ally. The Accession Protocol is signed, now waiting for ratification by each Member State. Thanks to the name agreement between Skopje and Athens, we are looking forward to welcoming a new NATO Partner!” the Federal Foreign Office tweeted. The permanent representatives of all 29 NATO members signed today in Brussels the protocol for Macedonia’s accession to NATO.

The US Embassy to Skopje congratulated the signing of NATO accession protocol with Macedonia. “Congratulations on this historic step!” reads the post on the US Embassy’s Facebook page. Embassy staff and US Ambassador Jess Baily jointly watched the NATO accession protocol signing ceremony. The Permanent Representative of the US to NATO, Ambassador Key Baily Hutchison was among the 29 Allies that signed the NATO accession protocol with Macedonia.

 

After visit to Brussels, Mickoski at regional meetings with Plenkovic, Vucic and Jansa (Republika)

 

After numerous meetings that VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski held during his visit to Brussels and the political assembly of the European People’s Party, he is visiting several Balkan centers. In Belgrade he met with Serbia’s President and SNS leader Aleksandar Vucic, and now he is set to meet with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and the leader of the sister HDZ Andrej Plenkovic in Zagreb, and afterward he will meet with the leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party who won the last parliamentary elections in Slovenia Janez Jansa. The meetings come at a time when Mickoski has an emphasized international agenda and the same will be used to strengthen the mutual ties and cooperation of the sister parties of VMRO-DPMNE. “The Republic of Macedonia should build an open, balanced, neighborhood policy based on principles and honest values,” Mickoski said after his meeting with President Vucic.

 

Albania

 

Basha congratulate Macedonia on NATO Accession Agreement (ADN)

 

Chairman of Democratic Party (DP) Lulzim Basha congratulated on Wednesday the Republic of North Macedonia's accession to NATO. Among other things, Basha said that this is a significant and notable event for the entire region. "Macedonia's membership to NATO is of supreme importance for our country.  NATO's expansion in the Balkans in a contribution to security, peace and values of democracy," said Basha. He also added that a crucial role in this achievement was played even by Albanians in Northern Macedonia, who never ceased their support towards the state.

 

Minister Xhacka welcomes NATO Accession Agreement (ADN)

 

Albanian Minister of Defense Olta Xhacka welcomed the NATO Accession Agreement of Republic of North Macedonia. Minister Xhacka considered this as a great news and congratulated Macedonians for this achievement. Furthermore, the Minister added that the region gained more security, stability and peace. "Great news! I want to congratulate the citizens of Republic of North Macedonia for this deserved achievement. This is an important strategic message for our neighbors and the whole Balkan region," stated Xhacka.

 

Basha congratulate Macedonia on NATO Accession Agreement (ADN)

 

Chairman of Democratic Party (DP) Lulzim Basha congratulated on Wednesday the Republic of North Macedonia's accession to NATO. Among other things, Basha said that this is a significant and notable event for the entire region. "Macedonia's membership to NATO is of supreme importance for our country.  NATO's expansion in the Balkans in a contribution to security, peace and values of democracy," said Basha. He also added that a crucial role in this achievement was played even by Albanians in Northern Macedonia, who never ceased their support towards the state.

 

Minister Xhacka welcomes NATO Accession Agreement (ADN)

 

Albanian Minister of Defense Olta Xhacka welcomed the NATO Accession Agreement of Republic of North Macedonia. Minister Xhacka considered this as a great news and congratulated Macedonians for this achievement. Furthermore, the Minister added that the region gained more security, stability and peace. "Great news! I want to congratulate the citizens of Republic of North Macedonia for this deserved achievement. This is an important strategic message for our neighbors and the whole Balkan region," stated Xhacka.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

(North) Macedonia and the Prespa agreement, success or defeat? (Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, by Ilcho Cvetanoski, 6 February 2019)

 

Contrasting reactions in (North) Macedonia to the ratification of the Prespa agreement by Greece. The government celebrates a unique opportunity and investment in the future, the opposition laments an unbalanced agreement and loss of identity

On January 25th, with 153 votes in favour out of 300, the Greek Parliament ratified the Prespa Agreement, thus fulfilling the penultimate condition before its northern neighbour changes its name into Republic of North Macedonia. The last task for Greek Prime Minister Tsipras and the Syriza-led coalition will be the ratification of the NATO accession protocol. Then, the Republic of Macedonia will initiate the implementation of the envisioned constitutional changes and will inform states and international organisations about its new official name. As expected, reactions in Skopje ranged from euphoric to cataclysmic, demonstrating once again the deep polarisation in Macedonian society. The government, together with the majority of media, pro-deal intellectuals, and analysts, celebrated the vote as an investment in the future. On the other hand, opposition media and intellectuals lamented the loss of the state’s official name and possible hidden clauses, invoking dark scenarios for the country's future. Both sides, however, agreed on one thing. Tsipras’s speech during the Prespa Agreement debate, along with those by two other Syriza MPs, was a huge step forward for good neighbourly relations, as the Greek Prime Minister openly spoke about “Slavo-Macedonians” and their destiny before, during, and after the Greek Civil War. Having in mind Greece’s poor track record concerning minority rights, especially regarding the Macedonian minority, this indeed was a historic moment.

 

The main narratives

Supporters of the agreement mainly argued that the Prespa Agreement will further strengthen and affirm Macedonia's identity, with potentially positive effects on the state’s economy and security following NATO membership. Some media pointed out that Macedonia’s sovereign bonds skyrocketed following Athens’ vote, arguing that the trend will further increase once the NATO accession protocol is signed and EU accession talks are opened. Another popular argument referred to investing in the future by strengthening good neighbourly relations and building a strategic partnership with Greece. On the other hand, critics of the agreement lamented loss of identity, asymmetry, and flat-out described the whole process as national capitulation. As argued by Zoran Zaev, Greece will never address people in (North) Macedonia as Macedonians, but as “Slavo-Macedonians”, as Tsipras did during the debate, or as “Skopjans” as they did before. So, critics fear that, following the formal change of name, international media, politicians, and intellectuals will use the adjective North Macedonians instead of Macedonians, as is envisioned in the Prespa Agreement.

 

Done deal, what next?

Two issues were discussed in a series of debates on several national broadcasters: what policies should follow the ratification and how to use the momentum for further advancement of bilateral relations? Regarding the first question, it was emphasised that Macedonian elites and institutions should fully focus on the thorough implementation of the agreement, ignoring conservative voices advocating for a revision. According to these analysts, the conservative opposition in both countries, in view of the presidential elections in Macedonia and European and general elections in Greece, criticises the agreement but is supportive behind closed doors and happy that someone else resolved the hot issue. The second dilemma is more challenging. In an op-ed for Deutsche Welle, Kica Kolbe – writer, philosopher, and member of the Macedonian team in the Joint Inter-Disciplinary Committee of Experts on historic, archaeological, and educational matters (a body established by the Prespa Agreement to ensure that no educational material contains any irredentist/revisionist references) – emphasised that “the road towards forgiveness and reconciliation starts with facing the past”. To achieve this, stressed Kolbe, Macedonians should forget the fantasies of cancelling the 1913 Bucharest Treaty to unite all four parts of Macedonia as a geographical region in one state – fantasies fuelled, as in all Balkan states, via endemic victimisation narratives.

 

Facing the past

Is Tsipras’s speech the beginning of a long-needed reconciliation? Yes, if one judges by the ecstatic reports by the Macedonian media. In his criticism towards the Communist Party's decision not to support the agreement, Tsipras mentioned the Greek Civil War, the “Slavo-Macedonian fighters of the Democratic Army of Greece”, refugees of the Civil War, deprived by the Greek state of the right to return to their homeland in 1983, and “Slavo-Macedonian” partisan fighter Mirka Ginova, known as Irene Ginny – the first woman sentenced and executed by the government during the Greek Civil War. On the same line, Syriza MP Nikos Filis – commenting on the Greek nationalistic narrative that “Macedonia is one, and it is Greek” – said that Macedonia is not just Greek. “Maybe it doesn’t sound good, but it is the truth. Greek Macedonia is Greek, and let me clarify, it was made Greek because, until 1912/1913 and 1921/1922, when the refugees came, there was no Greek majority in Macedonia – only in some regions in the south”, Filis said. According to liberal elites in Macedonia, the above-mentioned narrative is clearly a positive impact of the Prespa Agreement and shows the willingness of liberal Greek society to open the painful question of minority rights and the rights of Greek Civil War refugees. Among the descendants of those refugees are Kica Kolbe, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, former Prime Minister Nikola Grievski, etc..

 

Prospects of the Prespa Agreement

Alexis Heraclides, professor of International Relations and Conflict Resolution at the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens, pointed out in a recent interview that ethnic and linguistic rights should have been included in the Prespa Agreement. “The members of this ‘phantom minority’ are Greek citizens who reside in the north of Greece, in Florina, Pella, and Kastoria. They are the majority in some regions and they happen to speak another language; Slavo-Macedonian or perhaps a Bulgarian dialect is their mother tongue. They exist, they are there; you can go and see them and speak to them (they are bilingual)”, said Heraclides, adding that roughly half of them say that they are of Slavic origin, but see themselves as Greeks. However, Heraclides continues, the other half “see themselves as something different and remember how their ancestors were treated under the Metaxas dictatorship and in the 1950s. Half of them fled Greece at the end of the civil war; note that the Slavo-Macedonians made up the majority of ELAS (Greek People's Liberation Army) in the second part of the 1940s, during the Greek Civil War”. Several other Greek scholars wrote extensively on how Macedonia's Slavic heritage was wiped out by linguistic oppression or how Greece has ignored the Macedonian question. This is confirmed by the 2008 fact-finding mission by Gay McDougall, UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues, who “urged the government of Greece to withdraw from the dispute over whether there is a Macedonian or a Turkish minority in Greece and focus on protecting the rights to self-identification, freedom of expression, and freedom of association of those communities”. After all these years, the minority/ethnic/linguistic issue remains at the very core of the dispute and its progress will most definitively determine the legacy of the Prespa Agreement – will it be regarded as the start of a strategic partnership or just another short-sighted deal predominantly addressing the geopolitical needs of Western allies?