Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visits on Tuesday and is the first Greek head of government of the North-Macedonia. The settlement of a year-long name dispute makes the historic visit possible.
It is the culmination should be in the political career of George Varemenos: In remote Australia travelled the Vice-President of the Greek Parliament, the national holiday on 25. March together with Greeks abroad to celebrate. But he had hardly begun his speech in Melbourne, reported themselves patriots, called to word and disrupted the event. Varemenos is a traitor and should be ashamed, since he and his party comrades of Macedonia had sold out, it said. In an Interview with the left-wing politicians who complained then about “fascist slogans of a minority”. It was not an isolated case. Also in several Greek cities, there were Boos on the occasion of the celebrations and Whistled against the latest compromise in the name dispute with the Northern neighbor state.
Greece’s Alexis Tsipras (left) and the Northern Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in an archive image
The head of government Alexis Tsipras is undeterred. On Tuesday he travels with a business delegation to Northern Macedonia, where it is received by his counterpart Zoran Zaev solemnly. It is the first visit by a Greek head of the government in Skopje. The visit program included discussions on the security and economic policy, as well as a Meeting with President Talat Xhaferi. “A historic visit,” says Konstantinos Filis, research Director at the Athens Institute for International relations, in an interview with DW.
Particularly important and promising future cooperation in the field of defence in the NATO framework or bilateral. Officers from Skopje, would soon be trained in the Greek army, believes Filis. In addition, Athens could contribute to the Monitoring of the airspace over Northern Macedonia, the help. “Economic relations there was in the past, however, cooperation in the security policy is something completely New, is at the core of national sovereignty, and gives, therefore, the bilateral relations have a completely different weight,” explains the Analyst.
The agreement “weak”?
In the summer of 2018 Tsipras and Zaev were able to settle the long-standing dispute with the state name of Macedonia, according to which the young Balkan country is renamed to “Republic of Northern Macedonia”. In turn, Hellas undertakes, him with his new name recognition. In addition, Athens wants the NATO and EU accession support North of Macedonia and to the forces. After long debate, and the resignation of his right-wing populist defense Minister Tsipras could bring the compromise reached in January 2019 in the Parliament. The conservative Opposition, which currently leads in all the polls, are up in arms against the agreement. However, the leader of the opposition Kyriakos Mitsotakis insured now, after a change of government, he is not going to make the compromise with the young Balkan state in question.
In mid-February, the border panel was removed with the inscription “Republic of Macedonia” …
However, the protests continue, especially in the North of Greece. Also, North of Macedonia have implemented the agreement so far only inadequate, warns political scientist Filis. Some of the Statements made by the Prime Zaev about “Macedonians of the Aegean” – so that the existence of a Slavic minority in Hellas is implied – violate at least the spirit of this agreement, the Analyst believes. If Greece has now been opened in Skopje, a message would be entrusted to several diplomats with the task, such Statements meticulously. “However, it takes a bit of time to fill the agreement with life, that is clear to all Concerned,” warns the scientist.
A favourable Momentum
What the two sides together, is not least, the European perspective, the North of Macedonia, believes Miltos Kyrkos, EU-parliamentarian from the social liberal party To Potami. “Our Northern neighbor is ready to join the EU and we should take advantage of the favourable Momentum and help him,” says the President in an interview with DW. Should in Skopje to change something – for example, after a change of government – then the EU offers quite enough options to control the mind, he says.
… to change the name to “Republic of Northern Macedonia” was officially
First of all, the politicians put on the economy. Long Greek businessmen in the neighboring state are actively, the latest agreement will give a further boost. Shortly after the signing of the Greek airline Aegean Airlines took in for the first time direct flights from Athens to Skopje. For this Tuesday, the government predicts close to the newspaper Ethnos, a new “landing on Skopje”, referring to the more than 50 entrepreneurs and potential investors from Hellas, the accompany Premier Tsipras on his trip to the North of Macedonia. Cancel however, there are also: a Protest against the compromise in the name dispute, the head of the chamber of Commerce of Thessaloniki Michalis Zorpidis has declined to participate in the Delegation of Tsipras. Justification: “The Name Macedonia is sacred to us and we will do everything to defend him”, – stated in a communication from the chamber of Commerce.