Macedonia Name Row Solvable ‘Within Months’

Nimetz and the UN have been exensive failures. A new person and a new organisation are needed. Being fair, neither Greek or RoM politicians have covered themselves in glory. But Nimetz ia not the man.

It's too late in the game, Dara, to change the UN framework and Nimetz, the other institutions (EU, NATO, OSCE) would appear partial to Greece, if viewed from the Vardar River's banks in Skopje. Either this *political* problem is solved now (within 2009) or it festers into an "open sour" threatening the integrity of the newish state. Proportionately speaking, the Gruevski admin has been the worst in SE Europe/Balkans since 2006, worse than Sanader in Croatia! Historically speaking, since the "awakening" or "formation" of a non-Bulgarian ethnic conscience in the territory of today's RoM/fYRom, and in adjacent territories for the past 100 years, the oft-cited "pro-Macedonian" wing of VMRO has always managed to bungle things, politically, diplomatically and even in military conflicts when those arose. What would easily have been acceptable and passable in 2004, i.e. "Rep. of Macedonia - Skopje" for multilateral organisations and bilateral ties with Greece is absolutely not attainable in 2009. Gruevski and his coterie of merry men single-handedly stiffened Greek diplomacy's position on the matter and "reawakened" public opinion's interest in a "firm position" vis-a-vis skopje. I may be wrong, but I don't think history will treat the current fyrom admin too well if a solution isn't achieved this year.

@Ringo Thank you for refraining from the rabid howling that seems to dominate this site and actually engaging in some intelligent discussion. You may well have a valid point about the political competence, or lack thereof, of certain certain parties or groups within RoM. Looking back over recent history though, where do we find the *competent* politicians, anywhere in the Balkans? It is an unfortunate reality that those in the west who take an interest in the Balkans seem to approach the troubles of this region as something of a spectator sport. There's more at stake here than the legacy of some administration or other. For the citizens of RoM and for Macedonians in general, how one administration is remembered hardly matters. What will the Macedonian people benefit if they have an administration that *achieves* a timely solution to this problem but does so at the expense of their dignity and their basic human rights? It is not the expediency of the *solution* that will make the biggest difference to the history of the Macedonian people, but rather its substance. As for the stance of Greece, the recognition is growing, slowly but surely, among the European and broader international communities that all of the *arguments* put forward in support of its opposition to RoM's name are fueled by extremist politics which are in direct conflict with contemporary human rights standards and entirely out of place in a civilized Europe. We can poke fun at administrations or individuals all we like. Let's not forget, however, that there's a bigger picture here. Surely the ideals of humanity, justice and democracy are to be our guiding ideals. The prism through which we evaluate today's political problems. Regardless of the administration.

Which one exactly of the ideas of humanity, justice and democracy speaks for teaching a population insane myths about hailing from Alexander, continue the well-known VMRO (the original) and later Comintern plot of an "independent Macedonia" which could later be more easily annexed by Bulgaria and use the name "macedonian" to refer to a small minority of questionably Macedonians EXCLUDING the vast majority of Macedonian who are greek? Looks like a very twisted sense of democracy

@Correction There's no shortage of literature on democracy, justice and human rights. In your case, the best place to start would be a good English dictionary.

The name has to be changed...there cannot be two Macedonian identities. They can call their country USA going by that logic...Why not call it Ottomania, since it was at one time or Serbia since it also was at one time (much more recently than it those lands were Macedonia)...there already IS a Macedonian identity...so for the sake of avoiding confusion (never mind the accuracy of history) Fyrom must pick something else that hasn't already been taken. Sorry.

Im an outsider and just want to know why Greece claim to own 2 names and 2 flags. As I understand it the Macedonian Language is totally different to any other language in the world, unlike the rest of the former yugo rep which all speak the same. Greece only changed Northern Greece to Macedonia in 1988 when they knew Macedonia was going to declare indepence soon. Also what the Greeks did the Macedonian people between 1913-1991 was what Hilter did to the Jews. Forcing name changes and forcing them to only speak greek or they would be killed. I think there are more Macedonians in Greece then Macedonia but are too scared to admit it. Shame on Greece or should I call them Northern Turkey or the Former Ottoman Empire of Greece. It's not nice the way they have treated these people who have been through so much and kept doing in the 20th century and it continues on in the 21st century. SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!!