Who does not respect the Prespa Agreement?

Writing for Kosovo Online: Zeljko Sajn

Although legislative and executive authorities have not yet been formed in the Republic of North Macedonia, the presidential and parliamentary elections in this country have caused a real political earthquake, with the epicenter in Skopje, in the Macedonian Assembly, where tremors were felt both in the East and the West. However, it resonated most strongly in the office of Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, due to the actions of the newly elected President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, who, during her inauguration while taking the oath, uttered the name of the state without the attribute "North," contrary to the Prespa Agreement.

Although the new president signed the document under the full constitutional name of the state, her omission of the adjective "North" in the state's name during the oath caused displeasure first from the Greek state's ambassador in Skopje, who protested by leaving the inauguration in the Assembly, followed by warnings from Greece threatening to block North Macedonia's EU integration unless the Prespa Agreement is respected, which involves using the new constitutional name.

Let us recall that the Prespa Agreement between Greece and Macedonia settled a nearly three-decade-long dispute. The agreement was signed in Prespa in 2019, by which these two countries committed to implement the bilateral agreement in their states. The Republic of Macedonia changed its Constitution and the state's name, becoming the Republic of North Macedonia. This step promised the Macedonian people Euro-Atlantic perspectives, yet the country has only become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance in the meantime, while the doors to the European Union remain closed.

Not only that, Macedonian media emphasize that Greece has not implemented the Prespa Agreement in its country, i.e., has not ratified the protocols arising from this agreement.

Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis responded to these accusations by pointing out that they anticipated such behavior from representatives of the new wave of authority in North Macedonia. According to this statement, the Greeks apparently had a visionary view of the political developments of their neighbor five years in advance, the time since the signing of the Prespa Agreement. On the other hand, they threaten to stall their neighbor’s European integration – as if it weren't already stalled – if the state leadership does not use the constitutional name mandated by the Prespa Agreement, and they themselves have shown no willingness to use this state's name in verbal communications, preferring instead the name "Skopje."

Also, in Greece, not a single sign has been replaced to refer to North Macedonia. Thus, Greece does not respect the bilateral agreement under international public law.

The new authority in North Macedonia has stated that it will respect the Prespa Agreement, at least in written form, as demonstrated by the new president signing the oath. Let us recall that Gordana Siljanovska Davkova was supported by Hristijan Mickoski, leader of the VMRO-DPMNE party and future prime minister, who announced that he would also use his right to employ the “truncated” name of the state in conversations and public communications.

Although the Prespa Agreement has the character of "erga omnes," it is evident that at this moment, the new political structure of Macedonia, led by the VMRO-DPMNE coalition, will use the name Macedonia, and the Greeks will use Skopje. Therefore, neither state adheres to what was signed.

Until now, no entity, whether in the EU, NATO, or the USA, had reacted to such behavior, until President Siljanovska Davkova's action “woke” them. Now, a warning has been issued to the leadership of North Macedonia, which is being formed under the leadership of Hristijan Mickoski, in the form of an EU statement – which has a diplomatic character, not binding – indicating that everyone must respect the Prespa Agreement. It is unnecessary to remind that the EU itself has not kept its promises, nor have the USA and NATO, that the Prespa Agreement would achieve the right of the Macedonian state to join the European family.

It is precisely the hypocritical behavior of the West that decided the change of political power in North Macedonia. The people, by their votes, ousted the political ruling structure of SDSM and DUI and sent a message that preserving their state, its territorial integrity and sovereignty is more important than accepting a hypocritical policy that keeps them in place, even moving them backward. If the European Union continues with a policy of unfulfilled promises and constant conditioning, without guarantees, even though North Macedonia wants to achieve Euro-integrative processes, its doors may open to others.

Proponents of Euro-Atlantic goals have so far only complicated relations with neighbors for (North) Macedonia: a dispute with Greece, which led to a change in the Constitution and the name of the state; a dispute with Bulgaria, where it is being pressured to change the Constitution again to include Bulgarians in the highest state act; Tirana and Pristina influence the formation of the government in Skopje, and relations with Serbia, which have been built at a high level, are threatened by North Macedonia's involvement in sponsoring a resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica.

We will see what course for the country's prosperity and the resolution of disagreements with neighbors the new President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova and the new government of Hristijan Mickoski, who is facing the challenge of how and with whom to form a government, will take. He believes he has a secure majority, but will certainly try to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Assembly, which has 120 deputies, for which he needs to form a government with some of the Albanian entities, which are divided into the coalitions European Front and Worth.

Mickoski does not want to have representatives of the DUI party, which leads the European Front coalition, in the government because, as he states, they have committed many criminal acts with SDSM and have captured the state. On the other hand, it should not be overlooked that the Worth coalition enjoys the support of Albin Kurti, and thus has his influence.