North Macedonia in the Western Balkans in Southeast Europe, as a solution to the 27-year bilateral dispute between the Republic of Macedonia and Greece, with its ultimatum for constitutional changes, changing the constitutional preamble, changing Article 49 related to the Macedonian national minorities, and erga omnes for overall use part of the package-solution, is a triumph for Greek diplomacy and a fiasco for the Macedonian identity, history and future.
Without any serious public debate, zero involvement from Macedonian academia and neglected transparency in the negotiation process that resulted in the arbitrariness of two political entities, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) considers the package-solution to change the name of the state unfounded. In addition to the fact that such self-will strongly opposes everything that was included in the pre-election program of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, UMD believes that Prime Minister Zaev’s policy of validating the agreement through a referendum (which UMD strongly opposes since the idea was first proposed in 2011) question is suicidal for the Macedonian state and people.
Translated into the political rhetoric of President Ivanov, the UMD believes that nobody has the mandate to deprive the right of future generations to be Macedonians, and no one has the right to erase the state-legal continuity of the state, which degrades our vows to our ancestors. At the same time, at a time when the EU is announcing an end to the rigidity of decision-making by unanimous consensus, which represents a change in European politics and a new chance for the EU integration of the Republic of Macedonia under its constitutional name, UMD believes that the hasty and amateur diplomacy of Prime Minister Zaev and Foreign Minister Dimitrov, is guided by other motives, which does not include Euro-Atlantic Integration.
Referring to Article 305 from the Law on High Treason as a criminal offense against the state from the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, “he who, using force or serious threat, will attempt to change the constitutional order of the Republic of Macedonia or to overthrow the highest state bodies, shall be punished with imprisonment of at least five years;” referring to Article 308 for endangering independence from the Constitution, “any citizen of the Republic of Macedonia who will bring the country in a position of submission or dependence on another state, shall be punished with imprisonment of at least five years;” and referring to Article 178 of the Constitution for violation of the reputation of the Republic of Macedonia, “he, who with the intention of ridicule, publicly mocks the Macedonian people, shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years.”
UMD sees that with the latest capitulation, the smallest measure represents high treason, a violation of the nation’s image and an act of mockery upon the Macedonian people, is means for punishment on several occasions.
The act of denying the Krushevo Republic and ASNOM in the constitution’s preamble, the act of erasing Article 49 of the Constitution for the protection of the Macedonian national minority in the neighboring countries, the act of informing all members of the United Nations of changing the constitutional name without state consensus, the act of accepting the Greek maximalist demands, the act of disregarding the 2011 Hague verdict as the highest body of international law, and the act of accepting a treaty in which there is no legal certainty for the Macedonian interests, is a typical example of high treason, shame and insult to the country. Accordingly, UMD urges the decision-makers to terminate the negotiations most urgently, apologize to the Macedonian people and take measures to restore Macedonian dignity, reputation and well being, among other things, by announcing early parliamentary elections.
While Macedonian unity has never been so disunited before, UMD believes that the “Versailles Treaty” for Northern Macedonia bears the risk of being “the last drop” that would spill the cup into Macedonian society. And while the Greek “Non Paper” points out 16 benefits from the “closure” of the 27-year dispute in the interest of Greece, the only thing Macedonia receives is a precondition for internal state unrest and general dissatisfaction.