A 'common destiny' for Greece and Macedonia

[Niko777]

A 'common destiny' for Greece and Macedonia

Link: http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/a...common-destiny

Greece and Macedonia must let go of the past and focus on a joint future based on mutual respect, writes Günther Dauwen

At a time in Europe when even in very centralised states such as Poland, France, UK and the Netherlands many political discussions are held on implementing the European Charter for regional and minority languages – Greeks and Macedonians are stuck in a juridical-constitutional limbo.

At a time when the euro and eurozone members are under serious threat and Greece seems to be heading for total financial bankruptcy, Macedonia still seems not to be allowed to enter the EU anytime soon, 20 years after its independence – Greece and Macedonia continue to disagree on the name issue.

At a time where Greece actively uses a veto to block Macedonia's rights to a new future – both countries should be focusing on a joint future, especially in this fragile Balkan regional area, if they do not want to risk missing out on this historical moment of change.

One could say that Macedonia has not progressed as it had hoped, after freeing itself from dictatorship 20 years ago. We could also say that Greece today has not progressed in the same way it hoped, when it freed itself from dictatorship 37 years ago. Both countries are in crisis, but let's not waste time in defining the problem again but start to solve it.

Very often people say that crises are opportunities for change – but very often those involved in the crises, caught up in conflict, don't see it that way. And yet very often those looking at the conflict from a distance are the first to acknowledge the truth of this common sense. My several visits to this area of the Balkans, and meetings here in Brussels with relevant partners, have taught me that it is time to let go of history and that both countries should choose a common destiny. This can only be done with mutual respect.

Mutual respect means recognising one another, respecting one another's territorial integrity and one another's minority groups. It is high time Athens, 15 years after accepting a party representing Macedonians in Greece, faces facts and recognises and accepts Greek citizens of Macedonian descent as equal citizens in society and gives them the rights that are taken for granted in other European democracies. Linguistic and cultural rights are also increasingly implemented as universal rights, simply because they are.

It is high time that Greece no longer contests what cannot be contested, the right of a country to auto-define itself. Where on earth is this name discussion between the citizens of the two countries in crisis leading to? Nowhere. It is also high time that Greece, instead of spending money it no longer has on actively denying that the Macedonian community in Greece exists, instead spends it on recognising it, coming together and building bridges.

Without this recognition, no real communication can take place and if they do not know each other's languages, no respectful dialogue can take place. We have therefore supported the project to create a Macedonian-Greek dictionary not due to sentimental or symbolic reasons but purely for utilitarian motives.

The Greek-Macedonian version was published some years ago and this work is now concluded by publishing Macedonian-Greek version. People from both sides should be given the chance and should give dialogue a chance. I am a dictionary collector and I know that many combinations between different languages are not yet established – communications between Uighurs and Basques, between Kurds and Sorbians are not likely to be undertaken because of a lack of infrastructure, and of dictionaries.

But that two neighbouring countries with a long and rich history should not have the instruments to shape the future is an absurdity that belongs to the René Magritte museum in Brussels but not to European institutions or to the two communities in the divided societies of Greece and Macedonia.

Shall we again focus all our energy and money into interpreting and re-interpreting history or shall we put all our cards on the table and choose a future with, dialogue, respect and mutual recognition? I know that very soon now Macedonians who live and work in Greece will not be denied the right to teach their children to speak their mother tongue together with Greek. I know that the FYROM abbreviation will soon be abandoned as a heartless artifact created out of a lack of dialogue and understanding.

Let's build bridges. The first bridge is to recognise the reality in Lerin and the second to recognise the reality in Skopje. Greece and Macedonia are such beautiful nations that today only stand to gain if they opt for a future with communication, mutual respect and recognition.

Günther Dauwen is secretary-general of the Centre Maurits Coppieters

[Onur]

I agree with this article and this is valid for every other problems in Balkans, including Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia. If you consider the events of WW-2, happened between the western European states and look at their situation today, this stupid ongoing conflicts in Balkans are just a shame. I mean what happened in WW-2 was worse than all the things happened in Balkans but look at France and Germany today.

But i don't have any hope for that while every country in Balkans preaches hate for their neighbors and rise their young people with that mindset. This wont happen soon cuz there is no mutual respect even after 100 years while Germans and French learned to respect to each other in a decade after the WW-2, after killing million people from both sides.

[Zarni]

Macedonia is not like others and Macedonians understand the reality to us being

Sofia and Athens want the Macedonians to disappear from the map
Albanians want to detach and become a Independent State in time
Whilst Belgrade uses Church Politics to deny Macedonian Identity
And the Burocrats of the EU don’t care as long as they manage us how they see fit

[George S.]

greece has only itself to blame as the article says it wasn't hoped for that way.But given that macedonia has compromised itself greece has not done a thing to change things.it is in the greeks court now to decide how they will play.

[Pelister]

I entirely disagree with the thrust of this article. Its appalling.

The Macedonians need to stop the negotiations immediately, and deal with their own personal history, head on - not leave it behind, not avoid it.

The problem is that the historical dimensions of the Greek position, and of Greek politics are never seen. The Macedonian politicians are silent about it. The Macedonian people will continue to be an ill-defined people and a passive figure in history, as long as they continue to ignore Greek atrocities, the ruthless suppression of their culture, and dispossesion. These are FACTS (not interpretations), and ignoring them is undermining our history, our personal experiences and our dignity. Facing the past squarely will explain why we are where they are right now. It explains why the invading 'Greeks' have continued its policy of conquest. It explains perfectly and clearly the nature of that conquest, and why it is still going on today.

It is very evil to ask Macedonians "to let go of the past". The Macedonians can move forward economically, and politically "and" strengthen their State "and" defend their history "and" demand that Greece accounts for a century of ruthless suppression at the same time.

I mean asking a people that are dispossesed, denied and bearing the brunt of a conquest, still happening as we speak - to "turn aside" is the same as asking them to disappear. This is just a politically correct way of convincing the Macedonians to simply "disappear" and hopefully "die out".

Does the moron have any advice for the Greek state, with regard to the protection of rights for its various minorities?

Historical studies play a key role in the reconciliation process, otherwise the Macedonians are just pawns. It is the lack of historical background - as well as the fact that Macedonian politicians took the issue of our admission to the U.N out of the U.N - that we are treated more or less as a people 'without a history'. This business of deferring historical inquiries, deferring moral issues that arise from the conquest of our territory, and the extermination of our culture, need to be addressed.

But for crying out loud, these rogue politicians need to be stopped and the question of our admission to the U.N's need to be moved back into the U.N institution, where it belongs.