While there are protests every day in the defense of the name, each with thier own pretensions, in Macedonia and in Greece, the political process for ratifying the name agreement from the Greek side and for the start date for negotiations with EU and NATO, will take place in the following two weeks.
Talat Xhaferi stated that he expects, after the Law on ratifying the agreement with Greece passed in Parliament, for all the institution, as well as President Ivanov, to respect the Constitution and the parliamentary democracy, while the implementation of the Agreement depends on the referendum where the citizens will be deciding, whose wish will be fully respected.
Bujar Osmani, in an interview for BBC, said that this Agreement would improve the interethnic relations, having in consideration that during elections there are always divisions between the Macedonians and Albanian. According to Osmani, if the referendum fails, so will the opportunity for joining EU and NATO.
Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, called on EU member states to reward Macedonia for the progress and to set a start date for negotiations ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers, where it should be debated about the enlargement and the April reports of the European Commission for the Western Balkans.
In terms of an invitation for NATO membership, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary general, stated that if the referendum fails, there is no way for Macedonia to be part of the Alliance. The only opportunity is a positive outcome of the referendum, stressed Stoltenberg.
As to the internal conflicts in both of the countries, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias explained that now there is another line of division in both countries, and that being the division between those who are for and those who are against the solution.
Regarding the protests, which already have a certain and predictable movement, with small incidents and turmoil, they are peaceful and with the same messages that “we are not giving the name”. On the Greek side, yesterday’s protest in Thessaloniki passed with a minor incident when a smaller group of masked people attacked the police forces with wood and stones, and the police responded with tear gas.
And let’s not forget the court hearings, today another hearing was held for the “Monster” case. What is final in the case is the decision of the Supreme Court of December 2017 when it abolished the verdicts, released from custody the convicted Agim Ismailovic, Hadzi Aziri, Sami Ljuta and Fejzi Aziri, and ordered precautionary measures. Alil Demiri and Afrim Ismailovic are still unavailable for the court, for which international warrants have been issued.
Biljana Jordanovska
