Deal ‘days away,’ both sides say

Amid reports that ‘Macedonia’ name talks yielding compromises, protest rallies planned across country today

There was a sense yesterday that Athens and Skopje were inching toward a deal on the “Macedonia” name dispute despite opposition in both countries, with several protest rallies planned for Greece today.

The prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, said yesterday that he expected to telephone his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras in “a matter of days.” “Let’s not go into details. It is only a matter of days,” Zaev said, adding that the issue was “sensitive” and he preferred to remain “cautious.” Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias struck a similar note in comments to state television on Monday night, saying he expected a deal within a few days. Conservative New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis yesterday hit out at the government over its handling of negotiations, saying Tsipras was “dangerous for the country’s interests.” He also criticized Kotzias, saying “he appears to defend the arguments of our neighbor more than the self-evident claims of our country.” A deal must include a change to FYROM’s constitution and the removal of references of an irredentist nature such as references to a “Macedonian” ethnicity and language, he said.

A total of 23 rallies are to be organized today across Greece to object to a compromise in talks. Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos defended citizens’ right to protest but said, “from thereon in, there is a national line, which we are serving.” As several bishops expressed their intention to attend the rallies, Archbishop Ieronymos said the Church’s position is “fixed.” “It is not easy for us to lend the name Macedonia, to give it,” he said. “However these issues cannot be addressed with rallies, with cries,” he said, adding that Parliament is responsible.

Meanwhile in Skopje, there was intense speculation with MP Artan Grubi of the DUI party, a junior coalition partner, suggesting that apart from the names that have already been leaked, the names the Republic of Krusevo, Republic of Modern Macedonia and Republic of European Macedonia are also on the table. Media in FYROM meanwhile refer to pressure by the US on Zaev’s government to respond to a draft agreement by the end of the week. Some reports indicate that Athens has compromised on the issue of language and identity in a bid to secure its demand that any name be “erga omnes” – applicable domestically and internationally.