The issue of national identity is taken seriously by Balkan people – including the least serious among them.
Macedonia Rebuffs “Name” Referendum Claims
Skopje | 09 October 2009 | Sinisa-Jakov Marusic
This is “fiction”, and “has nothing to do with reality” the government wrote in a media statement.
On Thursday, the Vest newspaper published an article quoting an “unnamed diplomat” saying: ''Macedonia will change its name if it gets a firm promise and a
date for entry into the EU and NATO.''
The
daily also said that the government is considering holding a referendum asking the public whether they “support EU
and NATO entrance under the name Northern Republic of Macedonia”.
Since its independence in the early 1990s Greece has insisted that Macedonia changes its constitutional name Republic of Macedonia. Last year Athens blocked Skopje’s NATO accession because of the row and has threatened to do the same with Skopje’s EU accession process pending a solution.
In the ongoing UN sponsored negotiations seeking a solution to the name dispute, Athens has insisted Macedonia adopt a compound name with a geographic qualifier such as “Northern” that would make a distinction between the state and the Greek province.
Skopje argues that a name change would be tantamount to changing the country’s identity.
Macedonia’s main ruling party, the centre right VMRO DPMNE, in its election platform for last year’s parliamentary elections said it will hold a referendum on the name issue if the country strikes a deal with Greece.
2009-10-12 15:49:16