THE NAME DISPUTE BETWEEN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AND GREECE THROUGH THE PRISM OF POSTMODERNISM (original) (raw)
Related papers
The Macedonia Greece Dispute/Difference over the Name Issue: Mitigating the Inherently Unsolvable
New Balkan Politics, 2013
Having entered its third decade, the Macedonia-Greece naming dispute i seems as if it is set to join an infamous category of international relations-that of the world's chronic unsolvable issues. By focusing on the post-2006 decline in Macedonian-Greek (political) relations and the stalemate in negotiations on the name issue, this paper lays out and reassesses most of the fundamental components and recent variables in the dispute but also seeks to demystify important aspects of the dispute and to identify the space for a rational, common sense solution. Beginning with a substantiated claim that obstructive politics have been practised by certain NATO/EU circles towards Macedonia, and going on to deconstruct the myth that the dispute is purely bilateral and limited only to the name issue, this article warns that the intermittent optimism exhibited among the stakeholders in the negotiations means little given the historical depth of this otherwise simple dispute. The main message of this paper, however, is contained in a subsequent definition of the dispute as (part of) a perverse, inherently unsolvable, centuries-old problem that can only be mitigated rather than conclusively addressed, since it is based on vital, incompatible national interests and, consequently, a rigid, inter-state/inter-society disagreement. The pressing need to mitigate the dispute via local pragmatism, balanced diplomatic pressure, and the adoption of an inventive approach, especially after the Kosovo problem has been satisfactorily closed (at least temporarily), guarantees almost nothing, since both Macedonia and Greece have strong strategic rationales for not approaching a compromise. As the imperative of preserving the Macedonian national identity in every form seems somewhat stronger than the Greek national security concerns underlying the dispute, any so-called rational compromise seems to be possible only within the broad-dual formula‖ spectrum. Therefore, both parties are encouraged to leave reactive-antiquisation‖ aside, to focus (only) on the name issue, and to search for a mutually acceptable name variant within a flexible-dual formula‖ framework. Final success, however, remains elusive, as Macedonia and Greece continue to struggle with deep intra-social divisions and/or aversive intellectual trends in the context of the name dispute. In conclusion, policy-makers should bear in mind that the only intelligent way to settle the dispute and the inexorable Macedonian question in the 21 st century is by fully integrating the Macedonian national identity in the European cultural and political mosaic.
From the name dispute to the Prespa agreement: the relations between Greece and North Macedonia
Journal of Law and Administration, 2020
The name dispute dominated the relations between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia approximately three decades. It was coined as one of the world's chronical unresolved issues. During the long lifespan of the conflict, there were some moments of hope for a solution, as well as disappointments stemming from the rising tension between the parties. Some of these developments bringing a new mentality to the dispute can be labelled as the turning points. In the current state of affairs, the dispute has been going through a new phase since the signature of the Prespa Agreement between Greece and North Macedonia in 2018. Materials and Methods: The article is providing a historical analysis of the name dispute. The development of the name dispute, from its beginning till its current state of affairs, is analysed under the guidance of the previous studies conducted on the subject and with references to the discourses of the leading political actors. Results: The name dispute is elaborated by focusing on the key turning points. After the emergence of the conflict, the interim accord of 1995 and 2008 NATO Bucharest meeting and the Prespa Agreement are determined as the turning points of the dispute. Discussions and Conclusions: The article concludes that it is too early to declare the final end of the name dispute by concentrating on the Prespa Agreement, symbolizing the final consensus between the parties of the dispute. Despite the rising hopes after the Prespa Agreement, the historical lifespan of the name dispute leads us to consider the fact that the willingness of the disputing parties to stay committed to the agreement will be definitive in terms of the future of the relations between Greece and Macedonia.
History and the Conflict over the name 'Macedonia' (1990-1995)
Constructions of Greek Past. Identity and Historical Consciousness from Antiquity to the Present (ed. Hero Hokwerda), 2003
Historical interpretation played an important role during this conflict. First of all, I would like to discuss the Greek interpretation of history as such and its origins, secondly, I would like to examine how Europe, or rather the countries of the European Union, reacted to the use of this interpretation as an argument to support the Greek position during the conflict.
MAIN DYNAMICS OF NAME DISPUTE: NORTHERN MACEDONIA AND GREECE
2020
Macedonia is a critical region in terms of stability in the Balkans, its territory experienced many conflicts throughout history, some of which have still remained unsolved. For example, the dispute with Greece over the country's name has been a major problem for Macedonia's integration into the international community. This study aims to identify important historical factors in the relations between Greece and the Republic of Northern Macedonia, which have facilitated, inter alia, the settlement of the name dispute and the reasons for finding such solutions in a time of power gap separating the two countries. Undoubtedly, frictions between neighboring states had to be resolved to ensure a stable and secure environment in the Balkans. When resuming the analysis of the historical process, it is clear that despite some progress in the dialogue, no concrete results have been achieved. Lately, by taking decisive action and making some concessions, the governments of the two countries have taken an open position in the negotiations and tried to reduce the tension by concluding certain agreements. In this context, the authors identify six different factors that have facilitated the mediation of these issues between the two countries, trying to explain why this solution could be found today and not at some other time in history. Rezumat: Principalele dinamici ale disputei pentru denumire: Macedodia de Nord și Grecia. Macedonia este o regiune critică în ceea ce privește stabilitatea în Balcani, teritoriul său cunoscând de-a lungul istoriei numeroase conflicte, unele dintre acestea rămânând nerezolvate până în prezent. De exemplu, disputa cu Grecia pentru denumirea țării a constituit o problemă semnificativă în procesul de integrare a Macedoniei în comunitatea internațională. Acest studiu își propune să identifice factorii istorici importanți în relațiile dintre Grecia și Republica Macedoniei de Nord, care au facilitat, între altele, lămurirea controversei privind denumirea, precum și motivele găsirii acestor soluții într-o perioadă de decalaj de putere între cele două țări. Fără îndoială că fricțiunile dintre statele
The Name Game: The Prespa Agreement and the Macedonia naming dispute on the board
2019
The process of dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s was characterized by the independence of the republics of Croatia and Slovenia, followed afterwards by Macedonia. However, the independence of the Macedonian republic started a dispute with Greece because of the use of the name Macedonia, which is also the name of the Greek northern province. Thereby, due to a Greek pressure together with the international community, the Republic of Macedonia had to be officially called as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and the negotiations towards its accession into the EU and the NATO had been hindered by Greece until the Macedonian name dispute be resolved. In June 2018 the two countries signed an agreement near to the Prespa Lake in order to put a stop in almost thirty years of controversy. Nevertheless, each country has to negotiate with their respective domestic groups the agreement's ratification, otherwise the dispute will remain without resolution. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to focus on the negotiations between FYROM and Greece in favor of resolving the Macedonian name dispute, and to analyze the importance of domestic groups to reach this objective. A qualitative methodology is employed for this research, making use of bibliographic research based on books, articles, theses, online newspapers, critical analysis and interviews. The use of the Two-level Game Theory as a theoretical framework is fundamental for a better understanding of the negotiations regarding the name dispute. Lastly, the research concludes that the Prespa Agreement ensures the Hellenic and Macedonian identity, culture and history, besides highlighting the challenges that the two parties still have to face.
This paper provides an overview of the complex, 26-year-long name dispute between Macedonia/FYROM and Greece. It argues that the name talks have always been asymmetrical, with Greece dictating the terms due to its leverage over the Euro-Atlantic integration of Macedonia/FYROM. It also argues that this asymmetrical nature of the talks can be and has been mitigated by international pressure on Athens to compromise. The paper presents a strong correlation between constructive behaviour by Macedonia/FYROM and international sympathy towards its position throughout the years. This correlation indicates that the unmitigated optimism of the new Macedonian government about reaching a favourable compromise in 2018 through ‘behaving’ may not be entirely unwarranted.
The relations between Macedonia and Greece IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NAME ISSUE
The relations betw een the tw o neighboring countries Maced onia and Greece face unique challenges. N am ely, the Greek problem w ith the nam e of the Republic of Maced onia has not only d eep historical roots but also creates possibility for contem porary and even fu tu re d estabilization in the entire region of South -east Eu rope. This paper threats the issues in the relations betw een Maced onia and Greece m ostly relying on qualitative m ethod s.
IES Spring 2019 Newsletter, 2019
The “Macedonia” name issue has been a constant point of contention between Greece and the newly re-named Republic of North Macedonia, since the breakup of Yugoslavia. With the origins of the dispute stretching back to the Second World War, the “Prespa Agreement,” signed between the two Balkan neighbors in June 2018 (coming into force in February 2019) is hoped to be a new beginning in interstate relations in the Balkans. Through Prime Ministers Tspiras and Zeav have adopted warm facades in front of the cameras, significant opposition to the agreement domestically and abroad highlights the transnational / international legacy and implications of this dispute. In this lecture, Dr, Spero Paravantes examined the history of the dispute over the name “Macedonia.” He explained the Prespa Agreement, some of the controversies surrounding it, and discussed the role played in the dispute (and in the agreement) by foreign diplomats. He concluded with an assessment of the domestic and international implications of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), becoming the Republic of North Macedonia. Link: https://iseees.berkeley.edu/building-bridges-or-bridge-too-far-macedonia-name-agreement-and-past-present-and-future-greek Summary: https://ies.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/shared/docs/newsletters/IES%20Spring%202019%20News%20final.pdf
A lasting symbolic national threat: the dispute over the name Macedonia
In D. Jodelet, J. Vala & E. Drozda-Senkowska (Eds.), Societies under threat: a pluri-disciplinary approach (pp. 101-112). Cham: Springer., 2020
The naming dispute between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia has been ongoing for over 25 years. These two countries claim the same name, the former for its region, the latter for the entire country. Using the same name for both region and nation has been perceived by Greece as a collective symbolic threat. In this chapter, we will revisit the origins of this symbolic threat and recent developments, then discuss the issue from a theoretical perspective of social representations prompted by a psychosocial analysis. By examining a contemporary conflictual historic episode, we will demonstrate the symbolic effectiveness of social mental productions and their study as a way of expressing social thought, a vehicle for a collective cultural and historical imagination, anchoring onto layers of historical and cultural memory, and a foundation for the construction and expression of a threatened national identity. Kalampalikis, N. (2020). A lasting symbolic threat: the dispute over the name Macedonia in Greece. In D. Jodelet, J. Vala & E. Drozda-Senkowska (Eds.), Societies under threat: a pluri-disciplinary approach (pp. 101-112). Cham: Springer.