The majority of media in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo have been reporting in the last hours, that Athens and Skopje have allegedly reached an agreement on the Macedonia name issue. However, they claim that the two sides have agreed on a new name others that the ones proposed by UN Special Envoy Mathew Nimetz and that the name has been tabled by FYROM. And some of the media note that the Greek side has not accepted the name.
The name the media claim the two sides have agreed upon is “Republic of Ilinden Macedonia” or “Republika Ilindenska Makedonija.”
The media are reportedly citing FYROM diplomatic sources who claim that the proposal was tabled by PM Zaef to Tsipras.
Ilinden Macedonia? No way, say the Greeks speaking of “a provocation” as the name has a very clear irredentist connotation.
The Uprising of Ilinden against the Ottoman yoke in Krusevo in August 1903. The uprising was prepared and carried out by the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization. The Ilinden uprising is a national holiday in FYROM on July 20.
On Thursday, after the meeting between between Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, with his FYROM counterpart, Zoran Zaef, Greek media reported that there was a sixth name proposal. However, the new proposal was not disclosed.
A Greek government source reassured on Friday, that Athens will not retreat from its red lines on the name issue but insists on both a single name for all uses and a revision of the country’s constitution.
“Erga omnes* with a constitutional revision is a necessary condition for an agreement,” the sources told amna adding that “the implementation of constitutional revision is a prerequisite for joining international organisations (EU-NATO).”
The same sources said that the prime minister will brief the president and the political party leaders on the progress of the negotiations over the weekend.
*for all purposes
Everyone calls it Macedonia. Whether we want it or not. Just get on with it