Thou shalt not say or write “Macedonian” or “Macedonia”
“And lo! Brother Maynard then opened the Holy book of Zaev and quoted from chapter 1, verses 3 through 7, reading ‘Thou shalt not say or write ‘Macedonian’ in any situation nor by any government official, high, or low, in Skopje or in Stip, or anywhere else across the land of North Macedonia, nor shalt thou say or write ‘Macedonia’ as a standalone word unless the word ‘North’ proceedeth it, in which case thou shalt continue on to ‘Macedonia.’”
Yes, I could make this into a Monty Python sketch, but it’s just too damn serious.
As I wrote a few weeks ago in this space, “Of the Republic of North Macedonia is not an adjective,” we now see how this will play out in the real world. As I wrote then Article 1(3)(f) states that “The adjectival reference to the State, its official organs, and other public entities shall be in line with the official name of the Second Party or its short name, that is, ‘of the Republic of North Macedonia,’ or ‘of North Macedonia.’” In other words, the state and its official organs cannot use the adjective “Macedonian” but the “adjective” is “of the Republic of North Macedonia” or “of North Macedonia” which is not an adjective in any language, but a phrase consisting of nouns, prepositions, and articles.
However, we now see how this is playing out right before our eyes. Example one: on July 5th Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported that Greek political party New Democracy slammed the Greek government over “propaganda” Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev made the day before. His “propaganda?” He referred to the…“Macedonian army.” Two points: first, New Democracy is correct in pointing out that under the Zaev/Tsipras agreement, the adjective “Macedonian” cannot be used by any government official at any level in any way. The “adjective” per the above and per the agreement, and in this particular case, must be “the army of the Republic of North Macedonia” or “the army of North Macedonia.” The bottom line is thou shalt not say “Macedonian.” In addition, and according to Article 1(7), the word “Macedonia” will no longer be used in any official (meaning governmental) context, meaning government officials, at any level and in any way, will not be able to refer to the country by the stand-alone word “Macedonia.” While New Democracy might call this “propaganda” it is something Zoran Zaev and his government will have to live with — and enforce — because Zoran Zaev agreed to this. And he agreed to encumber all future governments in Macedonia at all levels — national, opstina, city/town/village — with this, as well as all ministries, the army, schools, and any institution that is a part of government. And he agreed to encumber the Macedonian people with this.
Per the agreement this applies to the government at every level and for all usages, verbal and written, and through any channel, print, broadcast, radio, and digital. Taking this a step further, while the only adjective for a citizen of the United States is “American,” we have many ways of identifying the country including “United States,” “United States of America,” “US,” “USA,” “America,” and “these United States of America.” In Macedonia, government officials will have two choices of an adjective “of North Macedonia” or “of the Republic of North Macedonia” and when referring to the country, two choices, “North Macedonia” or “Republic of North Macedonia.”
Mark my words: either Macedonians will rise up and defeat this damnable agreement, this capitulation, this monstrosity of usurpation of sovereignty or the era of free speech in Macedonia will come to an end.
Speaking of free speech, news has leaked out that, per the so-called treaty on good-neighborly relations with Bulgaria, Macedonian and Bulgarian experts have already met in Sofia to talk about history, and likely, educational matters as the treaty obligates Macedonia to, essentially, change its history books, school textbooks and just about anything else that Bulgaria feels is an insult to it.
At the same time, and by July 17, 2018, and per Article 8(5), a “Joint Inter-Disciplinary Committee of Experts on historic, archeological and educational matters” will be created by the governments of Macedonia and Greece “to consider the objective, scientific interpretation of historical events based on authentic evidence-based and scientifically sound historical sources and archeological findings.” It gets worse: “The Committee’s work shall be supervised by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Parties in cooperation with other competent national authorities. It shall consider and, if it deems appropriate, revise any school textbooks and school auxiliary material such as maps, historical atlases, teaching guides, in use in each of the Parties….”
Let me pause and ask a question: do you think Greece will be asking Macedonia to make revisions to “school textbooks, school auxiliary materials such as maps, historical atlases and teaching guides?” If you do not believe Greece will do this, then you are complete blithering idiot and a bloody fool. Of course Greece will demand these things because, reading further on, the Committee will set up timetables! And within one year of the signing of the capitulation, “no school textbooks or school auxiliary material” that “contains any irredentist/revisionist references” will be allowed to exist. Because if Macedonia wants to have its NATO treaty ratified by Greece, well….
But wait, there’s more! “The Committee shall also study any new editions of school textbooks and school auxiliary materials” going forward. Forever, because the Committee will meet twice per year. At least. And submit an “Annual Report on its activities and recommendations.”
I hope, I trust, I pray, Macedonia, that you will open your eyes and see where this is going. It’s not a pretty place and it’s not a good place.
