Macedonian Truth Forum - Macedonia & Greece: Name Issue

[url]http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonia-greece-pinpoint-possible-name-solution-05-17-2018[/url]

[B]Macedonia, Greek PMs Pinpoint Possible ‘Name’ Solution[/B]

Meeting at the Sofia summit, the Macedonian and Greek Prime Ministers said they have narrowed down one possible solution for the long-standing bilateral name dispute, which they will now take back to their countries for consideration

After meeting at the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on Thursday, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras have pinpointed one option for a possible solution to their countries' long dispute over Macedonia's name.

Zaev said this option, which was not disclosed in detail, would now travel back to both countries to seek support from other relevant political factors and in search of institutional ways concerning how it could be implemented.

“If it is possible, there will be a solution,” Zaev told a press conference in Sofia after his talks with Tsipras.

Although the Macedonian leader at the press conference avoided mentioning the term “solution” too often, he did confirm that he had reached an agreement with Tsipras on how the compromise between the two countries should look like.

But he said that, for a final solution to be found, they would both have to consult other political factors in their respective countries.

“We have pinpointed one option that may be acceptable for both sides,” Zaev said.

But, he added: “I am Zoran, and my partner is Alexis, and we have to consult with the other political factors in our countries, with the presidents and with the other political leaders”.

The "name" dispute centres on Greece's insistence that use of the word Macedonia implies a territorial claim to the northern Greek province of the same name.

Athens insists that a new name must be found that makes a clear distinction between the Greek province and the country.

As a result of the unresolved dispute, Greece blocked Macedonia’s NATO entry in 2008 and it has also blocked the start of Macedonia’s EU accession talks, despite several positive annual reports from the European Commission on the country’s progress.

Macedonia's Zaev said that today’s meeting with his Greek counterpart, the second this year, after UN-sponsored name talks had intensified some four months ago, marked a point of even stronger friendship between the two countries.

“We are solving the dispute in order to strengthen the dignity and identity of the citizens in both countries,” he declared.

Amid a lack of hard information, media in both countries have speculated that some form of a composite name, like Upper, or Northern, Macedonia, might be at the core of a possible solution being discussed or agreed on.

The main problem in striking a deal is not only the term, however, but its use.

Macedonia wants it used only internationally, while Greece has insisted that Macedonia must change its constitution and use the new name domestically as well.

“We have come a long way, but there is still distance. We will meet at the beginning of next month. Our goal is to find a solution before June 28-29,” Tsipras told a separate press conference after the meeting with Zaev.

“There are still issues to be worked out, it is complicated,” Tsipras added.

The meeting between the two Prime Ministers lasted for half-an-hour, after which both leaders held separate parlays with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“The Macedonian name issue will be crucial for the progress of the [EU] enlargement issue, and I am looking forward to the agreement in order to send it for discussion in the Bundestag,” Merkel said earlier on Thursday