by Aggelos Skordas
United Nations special representative for the naming dispute between Greece and FYROM, Matthew Nimetz, has brought to the table the five new names proposed for the central Balkan republic, according to the website www.mkd.mk. Specifically, as the neighbouring country’s website claims, on Wednesday while in a meeting with the two country’s negotiators (Adamantios Vassilakisthe for Greece and Vasko Naumovski for FYROM) Nimetz proposed five names that all include the term “Macedonia”.
United Nation’s mediator proposals are the following: Republika Nova Makedonija (Republic of New Macedonia); Republika Severna Makedonija (Republic of Northern Macedonia), Republika Gorna Makedonija (Republic of Upper Macedonia); Republika Vardarska Makedonija (Republic of Vardar Macedonia) and Republika Makedonija (Skopje) (Republic of Macedonia [Skopje]).
The issue of identity was not specified by Nimetz. The proposal provides that the new name applies towards all parties (erga omnes) in FYROM’s bilateral and international relations, in line with the Greek timeless position.
Despite all five proposed names including the term “Macedonia”, a development which was greeted with unease in Greece, Skopje appear to raise new obstacles towards the solution of the longstanding naming dispute, after its negotiator characterised the proposals as “far from dignified”, adding that he saw no grounds for progress. “We have a name. It is the ‘Republic of Macedonia’… No one can deny the existence of a ‘Macedonian’ nation and language”, he underlined during an interview with FYROM’s Sitel TV following a two-hour meeting with Nimetz and his Greek counterpart.
By contrast, United Nations envoy appeared optimistic explaining to media representatives that the negotiations procedure “is moving in the right direction”. Furthermore, he reiterated that any solution will include the term “Macedonia” a possibility deepening the rift within the Greece’s coalition government, as National Defense Minister and junior coalition partner Independent Greeks (ANEL), Panos Kammenos, has repeatedly stated his party will not accept. In a tweet posted by his official account on Tuesday Kammenos implied that FYROM -the government of which desires a solution that would allow the country to join the European Union and NATO- could use the name “Vardarska”.
Nimetz also characterised Athens’ hopes for a solution without that term “Macedonia” included as “unrealistic”. The United Nation’s envoy gave the two countries’ representatives a deadline of two weeks to respond his proposals, stating that a settlement must be reached in two months the latest.
“We will do what is required of us in order to reach a solution to the issue without, on any account, jeopardizing the national interests of the country. The government wants and is doing all it can to succeed in resolving a problem that has dogged the country for over 25 years, constantly creating complications on the international stage, and I believe that, precisely because the Balkans are a destabilised area that has been through a lot, it is very important for all outstanding issues to be gradually settled, one after the other… The region must make the transition to a historic period of joint development, cooperation and solidarity”, Greek State Minister and government spokesperson, Dimitris Tzanakopulos, said in an interview with 24/7 radio on Thursday.
