http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_columns_1157681_15/12/2005_64155
Kathimerini (Greece)
December 15, 2005
COMMENTARIES
The future of FYROM
By Costas Iordanidis
Just when the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) seemed to
have locked in EU candidate status, French Foreign Minister Philippe
Douste-Blazy on Monday cast doubts on the bloc's ability to expand
further. That did not please the government in Athens, which had only
just demanded — and indeed got — a guarantee that EU talks would be
held with the current name FYROM. Keeping FYROM outside the bloc was
not among Greece's aims.
Greece, like other Western nations, deems that FYROM's accession to
the EU and NATO will increase its chances of survival. The
Slav-Macedonian population already feels the pressure from the
country's ethnic Albanian element. Pressure is expected to intensify
further should Kosovo gain independence from Belgrade. Skopje is
already looking for regional allies.
An IHT report yesterday said that more than 21,000 Slav-Macedonians
have applied for Bulgarian citizenship since 2001 and nearly 7,000
have already been awarded the documents. The nation carved out by
Yugoslav dictator Tito is disintegrating.
Greece is on standby, but without really being able to prevent
Bulgaria's penetration into FYROM nor to offset that by using its
right to give passports to ethnic Greeks in that corner of the
Balkans.
If FYROM is not granted EU candidate status, Washington will step in
to back Skopje. A confrontation, however mild, between the US and
Europe will have negative consequences for Greece. But the big threat
will be for UN special envoy Matthew Nimetz to resign his mandate on
the FYROM name issue, taking the whole issue to the UN General
Assembly which could lead to the recognition of that state as
"Republic of Macedonia." Putting pressure on the EU will not do.
Greece must also turn to Washington before things turn bad for the
western Balkans.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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