17 December 2010 – Vienna, Austria – The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) is pleased to learn that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Permanent Council, at their 844th Session, adopted by consensus a decision to change the name of OSCE’s Mission in Macedonia from the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje to the OSCE Mission to Skopje.
“The changing of the name of OSCE’s Mission signifies the political reality of the region and that Macedonia is and has not been an importer of security for nearly a decade,” said UMD Vienna Representative Zlatko Nikolovski. “However, we are disappointed that the name was not changed to the “OSCE Mission to Macedonia”, which would show integrity by using the official name of the country, given that it is common practice by OSCE missions (field operations) to refer to the country rather than the capital city.”
UMD continues to support the important work of the OSCE and the commitments made by OSCE participating States to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; to abide by the rule of law; to promote the principles of democracy by building, strengthening and protecting democratic institutions; and to promote tolerance throughout the OSCE region. Macedonia has made significant efforts in all these areas, and UMD encourages Macedonia’s government officials to continue on their path to European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
“We hope that in the near future, the OSCE will reduce its’ staff in the Macedonian Mission, and eventually close the entire Mission,” said Nikolovski. “We applaud the work being done by Macedonia’s Mission to the OSCE in Vienna, headed by Ambassador Zoran Dabik whom UMD has a working relationship with since his time at the Macedonian Embassy in Washington, D.C.”
Established in September 1992 to help prevent the tension and conflicts in the former socialist Republic of Yugoslavia from spreading, the OSCE Mission to Skopje is the OSCE’s longest-serving field mission.
UMD Vienna Representative Zlatko Nikolovski can be contacted at znikolovski@umdiaspora.org.
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