Macedonia Referendum Talks Halt Without Breakthrough

Talks between Macedonia's top politicians on the planned ‘name’ referendum are to resume on Sunday or Monday – after government and opposition failed to reach agreement on Thursday.

Leaders of Macedonia’s four main political parties. Photo: MIA

Talks between Macedonia’s main ruling Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party, led by Hristijan Mickovski, failed to clear the path on Thursday towards a referendum on the historic “name” deal with Greece.

The two sides said they remained unable to agree on key issues like the formation of the State Electoral Commission, DIK, which will prepare the plebiscite, or on the plebiscite question.

“We will give chance to talks [with the opposition] as long as that is possible,” Zaev said after Thursday’s meeting, which lasted for more than four hours.

Regarding speculation that the opposition may have demanded an amnesty for its officials and supporters now on trial for past crimes, and for last year’s April 27 attack on parliament – in exchange for allowing the formation of the DIK – Zaev said only that this would be unacceptable.

Macedonia Parliament Supports NATO Bid

Macedonia’s parliament on Thursday adopted a declaration supporting the country’s bid to join NATO, after the alliance formally invited the country to join once it fully implements the “name” deal with Greece.

All 76 lawmakers present in the 120-member parliament voted in favour of the declaration, including the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party which calls the “name” deal was a national capitulation.

VMRO DPMNE MP Dragan Danev said his party would make a “strong contribution” to the country’s efforts to join NATO.

Last week, NATO invited Macedonia to start membership talks, on the condition that the country proceed as planned and implement the “name” agreement.

“The strategic goals of our country and of all the parliamentary parties are full EU and NATO memberships. There are no compromises over these strategic goals. Amnesty, direct or indirect, will not happen,” Zaev said.

VMRO DPMNE leader Mickovski told the media that he remained “an optimist” regarding an agreement on the referendum.

He denied that his party had asked for an amnesty, saying that this was “one more harsh attempt to manipulate the public” with issues that were not in the frame of the leadership meetings.

A principal aim of the landmark agreement with Greece, signed on June 17, was to ensure that Greece ended its longstanding blockade of Macedonia’s membership of NATO and the EU.

Under the deal, Macedonia agreed to change its name to Republic of North Macedonia, while Greece agreed to lift its veto on Macedonia’s EU and NATO integration.

For the deal to be fully implemented, however, Macedonians must show they support it in a referendum.

The Social Democrat-led government wants the vote held in late September or early October, so that there is time to adopt the required constitutional changes by year-end.

Macedonia Leaders to Hold Showdown Meeting on Referendum

Macedonia Opposition Puts ‘Name’ Referendum at Risk

NATO Invites Macedonia to Join the Western Alliance

Macedonia, Greece Sign ‘Historic’ Name Deal