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The se called name ‘negotiations’ with Greece will be the top theme for debate among the Macedonian presidential candidates for the upcoming elections on March 22. Most of the candidates, via the media, have already made their stances known.
SDSM’s presidential candidate has already stated he would immediately accept “North Macedonia”.
Ljubomir Frckovski has come under pressure in the public eye for his recent statements which varied wildly from month to month.
Just few months ago, the SDSM presidential candidate, in a column for Dnevnik attacked Crvenkovski, saying ‘high time for you to wake up, after fifteen years Branko just now realized Athens shouldn’t be trusted….” Within few months, Frckovski went from that statement to “We must accept Athens’ proposal” and consequently being nominated as a presidential candidate by none other, but the individual he insulted, Branko Crvenkovski.
VMRO-DPMNE candidate, professor Gjorgje Ivanov disagrees with Frckovski. In an interview for Australian – Macedonian Radio (Ilinden), he stated:
- Nimetz’s last proposal “North Macedonia”, cleverly excluding the Macedonian nation and language is by far the worst proposal that’s not worth reviewing. With this proposal once again it was shown that the so called name negotiations have different goal and background. The name negotiations are only a mask of Greece’s true aim. – stated Ivanov in his interview.
VMRO’s candidate recently attacked current president Branko Crvenkovski for distancing himself from the double formula as well as for working against his country.
-The president had showed some kind of cooperation, only to change his statements according to whom he represented when he issued the statements. Presently, Crvenkovski had found a handful of individuals who share his opinion and is once again forcing a lie that we must accept Athens’ stance, which is one name for the whole world, and this is simply not the case – says Ivanov.
As irony would have it, the 'double formula' was proposed nearly 10 years ago by the then Macedonain Foreign Minister, Ljubomir Frckovski. Did Frckovski changed his mind after receiving his golden Cartier Pasha watch from his Greek colleague?
The Albanian presidential candidate Imer Selmani has views similar to the Government. He has avoided giving interviews regarding the dispute with Greece after announcing his nomination, however stands behind a referendum should there ever be a need for one.
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