by: XHABIR DERALLA
It’s good that we changed the name and our country from former has become present, even if it be north, but someone has to work, for it stay – present and future, and not former.
In various software and on the Internet we can still come across the old name of our country – Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or just the abbreviation FYROM. Indeed, many big companies already have Macedonia (for the language) and North Macedonia (for the country), instead of the humiliating FYROM that we had for almost three decades, until two and some years… But often we also come across situations where, when you select the language option, FYROM stands instead of Macedonian.
It can easily be assumed that in the work description of certain institutions and ministries is also the obligation to handle such matters. They’ve had time until now to organize the replacement of FYROM with North Macedonia for country and with Macedonian for language. They’ve had this opportunity since the start of 2019, after the Constitution was changed. Certainly, even the current foreign minister could try to get the job done, especially since he already has experience in checking signposts.
Or, there aren’t any people, as our people from Ohrid would say. Or they don’t have time, they have too much work, so the poor things don’t have time for these “little stuff”. In my opinion, it’s not little stuff. We encounter that FYROM every day. Even in places where location is not required, but language, some applications use the disreputable abbreviation.
I’m not an expert in this, but it’s probably enough to send some letter to one or several international institutions where when companies will seek data, will also get our name, and not the outdated abbreviation for the country.
Even so, if the ministers don’t have the responsibility (read: intention) to do what is needed, in order to correct this mistake, perhaps we should refer to the Prime Minister. He will for sure do the job, not looking at the clock or working hours.
Or maybe now it will occur to someone to form another inefficient, yet costly working group, commission or agency, if possible at a ceremonial event where all city slickers from the NGO sector, great analysts, will be invited, to sign a memorandum for cooperation with the government.
Ultimately, however they call us in applications, in software, in communications that know no boundaries, but certainly know what an identity is and respect it, it will occur to flat-Earthers and anti-vaxxers to boycott that as well. But they are FYROM patriots, they belong to the past, so that’s why we don’t have to think about them much. Let’s see how we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of our independence as a state.
translation: N. Cvetkovska
