A preview of coming attractions in Macedonia
At some point in the next few days the Government of the Republic of Macedonia will inform the United Nations that it has a “new” name. Per the so-called Prespa Agreement Article 1 (6)(b), the Government of the Republic of Macedonia shall “Notify all Member States of the United Nations of the entry into force of this Agreement and shall request them to adopt and use the name and terminologies referred to in Article 1(3) of this Agreement for all usages and purposes, including in all their bilateral relations and communications.” Furthermore — and this is important — per Article 8 and Article 9, Macedonia is obliged to use that new name both “domestically,” (Article 8) and “internally,” (Article 9).
Now, a good lawyer will tell you there is a great deal of ambiguity here. The agreement refers to using the name (internally and domestically and as it relates to Government — and all that Government touches, another subject entirely), in all “official documentation, correspondence and relevant materials.” What the agreement does NOT refer to is oral communication, in other words, the spoken word. This is the first of many ambiguities.
Let me take that first ambiguity and apply it to the upcoming presidential elections in Macedonia. We all know that the candidate from VMRO-DPMNE — whoever he or she is — will be campaigning all over Macedonia and talking about “Macedonia” or the “Republic of “Macedonia” and how he or she loves Macedonia and is fighting for Macedonia. Likewise, campaign materials — signs, billboards, social media posts, websites, etc. — anything that bears the candidates name — will be emblazoned with “Macedonia” or the “Republic of Macedonia” on them. As for the candidate from SDSM, or DUI, or the Alliance of Albanians, or BESA — what will their candidate say and write? For that matter, how will the Government of Macedonia react to all of this? How will the Government of Greece react? Will the Greeks demand that the presidential candidates say, and write, the new name? If so, that would constitute an unprecedented interference in a neighboring country’s domestic affairs. But isn’t that what the Prespa Agreement is all about?
What are not ambiguous are the physical changes the Government of Macedonia is required to make and as the government of Macedonia makes physical changes per the so-called Prespa Agreement, especially with road signs, signs on buildings and other changes that are in the public space, the public will rebel, especially in the more rural parts of Macedonia. Expect sales of paint to increase and expect vandalism of these things to increase (here in America, we like to use shotguns on rural road signs). The public, ordinary citizens from all political parties, will not like this. Likewise, when the government starts putting up little signs or plaques — for instance on the “Warrior on a Horse” on the square in Skopje — stating that this represents “Hellenic culture and history” or some such nonsense, well, good luck in keeping that little sign free of paint or vandalism. It will, of course, be more difficult for citizens to battle other changes — as government institutions change their names, government stationary and letterhead, websites, social media profiles and handles, etc. But then, when the next wave of physical changes comes — passports, ID cards, license plates, postage stamps, banknotes and coins, etc. — then there will be another wave of protest, anger, and outright rebellion — and we don’t yet know what form that will take.
Next, in our preview of coming attractions, we will likely see relationships between ordinary citizens of Macedonia and Greece deteriorate. Since it is impossible for a forced agreement (on both the Macedonians and the Greeks) to produce anything resembling “reconciliation” — which can only be achieved by individuals seeking forgiveness and restoration — we will see anger increase on both sides and within both sides. In fact, we’ve seen it already with the stark divisions among and between Macedonians and among and between Greeks.
With respect to Macedonians, the so-called Prespa Agreement allows the Macedonian government to go after anyone propagating so-called “hate speech” (which is impossible to objectively define). The Greeks will encourage this, and will put pressure on the Macedonian Government (if it wants to continue pursuing EU membership) to crack down on any individual, association, business or group that it deems is practicing so-called “hate speech,” “hostile activities, actions or propaganda,” “activities likely to incite chauvinism, hostility, irredentism, and revisionism” against Greece (all of those things in quotation marks are spelled out in the Prespa Agreement as being forbidden). That is not a recipe for peace, and is, in fact, a recipe for further division.
Next in my preview of coming attractions starts with something that has already been happening but because the government of Zoran Zaev is neither honest or transparent, we really don’t know what, exactly is happening: Macedonia is obliged under the so-called “good neighborly relations” agreement with Bulgaria and the so-called Prespa Agreement with Greece to negotiate away its history in schoolbooks, textbooks, maps, atlases, teaching guides, etc. Both Bulgaria and Greece have plenty of upcoming opportunities to wring more concessions for the next many years if this or a future government of Macedonia wants to enter the EU. And so, in the coming months and years, students, parents, teachers and administrators will see drastic and one-sided, changes to what is being taught. (My preview of coming attractions can and should extend to businesses, associations, sports groups and other things, but I’ll save that for another time.)
Now, here is what I think to be the good news in all of this — if you can grasp it and run with it. All of these changes and situations can and should serve to increase Macedonians’ pride in their faith, history, culture, heritage, language, and country. It can and should serve to increase the desire of Macedonians to teach their children and grandchildren about Macedonia and its faith, history, culture, heritage, language and much more, at home, after school, on weekends if necessary, if the State fails to do this (intentionally or as a result of the agreements with Bulgaria and Greece). It can and should serve to increase new strides in Macedonian language, art, culture, and it can and should help encourage Macedonians as they turn to the institutions in which their identity is rooted: faith, family, friends, and tradition, among others.
Finally, if the Government of Macedonia refuses to help Macedonians living in the neighboring countries of Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, and around the world then it is up to the Macedonians living in Macedonia, to help their fellow Macedonians living in Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, and around the world, preserve their faith, language, heritage, culture, history, and more. The Prespa Agreement robs Macedonia and the Macedonians of both their dignity and their self-esteem. There are consequences to that action.
