June 21, 2018

Macedonia and Greece healing the wounds of the past

located:	Greece, Macedonia, The former Yugoslav Republic of
editor:	Maria João Morais

After almost three decades of dispute, Greece and Macedonia have finally reached a historic deal that paves the way for a new era. The long-standing disagreement over Macedonia’s name is finally over, after the two countries signed a pact that sets to rename it Republic of North Macedonia.

The bilateral conflict dates back to 1991, after the republic declared its independence following the collapse of Yugoslavia. The name chosen by the small Balkan nation faced stark opposition from Greece, which considered the term Macedonia as part of their cultural past and feared territorial claims over the region in the north of the country also named Macedonia.

After a long period of animosity, the recent deal between the two neighbour states – that paves the way for Macedonia to join NATO and begin talks with the EU – should be appreciated as an achievement not only for the region but also for the whole of Europe. While this is a monumental step forward, important challenges still remain on both sides of the border, where protests against the agreement have been taking place. The implementation of the pact (that still has to be ratified by both Parliaments and submitted to a referendum in Macedonia), may encounter serious obstacles, given the stiff opposition the pact has faced from nationalist hardliners in the two countries.

However, the brave move made by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his counterpart Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, is an important step that could help bring stability to a region that is still struggling with identity clashes and dealing with the memory of the violent military conflicts that followed the break-up of Yugoslavia. Today, the borders in the Balkans are still worryingly unstable, with Serbian minorities in Bosnia and Kosovo longing for secession or Albanians in Kosovo and Macedonia dreaming of integration into Albania.

In a moment when growing nationalist feeling has been blocking progressive decisions across Europe, this compromise shows that difficult agreements are possible when there is a political will.