The Stabilisation and Association Council between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and the European Union held its seventh meeting on 27 July. Enlargement Commissioner Stephan Fule claims he is “reassured”that there is a “new momentum” as far as the reform process is concerned. He added that in early 2010 there were worries that the reform process had slowed down. Ultimately, the name dispute with Greece (see box), running back nearly twenty years, will decide when negotiations will begin.

Antonio Milososki, Minister of Foreign Affairs of FYROM, said his country’s “ priority is getting closer to the European Union, opening accession negotiations and becoming a full-fledged member in the near future.”

Steven Vanackere, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, noted a “strong commitment” from the Macedonian government to open negotiations as soon as possible. The Stabilisation and Association Council also took in stock FYROM’s dedication to further effective implementation of reforms, particularly in the judiciary, public administration, fight against corruption, economic reforms.

Fule praised the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as an “example”for the region of how a multiethnic society can flourish. Both Vanackere and the Czech Commissioner insisted on the fact that after the completion of the demarcation of the country’s border with Kosovo, FYROM became the first country of the former Yugoslavia to have achieved this with all its neighbours.

DOUBLE DELAY

In its 2009 Enlargement Package, the European Commission backed the opening of EU accession negotiations with FYROM, which has had applicant status since December 2005. This was based on the assessment that the country had substantially addressed the key priorities of the Accession Partnership and sufficiently met the political criteria for EU membership.

But due to reservations expressed by Greece with regard to its long-standing dispute with the FYROM on the ‘name issue’, the EU’s leaders postponed twice, in December 2009 and in June 2010, their decision on the opening of accession talks with Skopje. “The candidacy status without accession process has not been meant to be a waiting room without an exit,” said Fule to reassure the Macedonian Foreign Affairs minister. However, for negotiations to begin Milososki is well aware of the fact that it will depend on Athens and Skopje finding an agreement on the name issue. To this end, he calls for a certain measure of “pragmatism” and “long-term vision” in the development of the region to resolve what he qualified as a “rather irrational” name dispute.

FYROM has an ally in the Council: as part of its programme for the next six months, the Belgian presidency committed to encouraging the reaching of a consensus within the Council with regards to opening accession talks with Skopje. In true Belgian style, Vanackere promised to deliver results rather than promises. Since most of the previous rotating presidencies claimed they would try to reach a consensus in the Council FYROM can only hope that Belgium will be able to live up to its renowned reputation as a consensus-builder.

Name issue

Greece has blocked international recognition of Macedonia under this name since 1991, arguing that it belongs exclusively to the Greek national historical heritage. Two years after its independence, Macedonia was admitted to the United Nations in 1993 under the temporary name of former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The name has since been the subject of talks between Athens and Skopje under UN auspices. Athens, which has already held up FYROM’s admission to NATO, can also block the opening of EU accession negotiations, which requires unanimous approval by the 27 member states. Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski admitted recently that no progress has been made in talks with Greece on the name issue following the last round of formal negotiations, held in April.