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Mladen Karadzoski, Artur Adamczyk
themselves have caused trying to overdo each other in patriotism –
do not want to accept any name which contains the word Macedonia. 28
The relations between the two countries became even more strained
in 2010, when the Macedonian government launched the project
Skopje 2014 of restructuring the downtown of the capital to emphasise
its historical ties to the ancient Macedon. Next to classicist buildings
bearing hallmarks of ancient Greek architecture, huge statues to
Alexander III of Macedon, Philip II of Macedon and Olympias were
erected. The Macedonian project offended the Greeks’ patriotic feelings
and provoked the government in Athens to take further international
actions against Macedonia. The enlargement policy was not one
of the priorities of the Greek Presidency in the Council of the European
Union. This way, at the next summit in June 2014, the problem
of setting the starting date for accession negotiations with FYROM
did not arise. Well aware that its recommendation would once again
be rejected, the European Commission did no longer even try to issue
it. Štefan Füle, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and
European Neighbourhood Policy, attempted on several occasions to
persuade Greece to soften their position so that FYROM would be
able to commence their accession negotiations, and so that only the
final outcome would depend on the resolution of the name problem,
but Greece remained adamant. 29
It would seem that the relations between Greece and Macedonia
and, consequently, between the EU and Macedonia have reached
a stalemate. Greece is waiting for the government in Skopje to come
up with an initiative. In Macedonia, in turn, the dispute with Greece
is excellent political fuel for the FYROM’s ruling party which enjoys
ever greater political support due to its uncompromising stance. As
a result, there is little hope for a solution to this problem and for resuming
integration between Macedonia and the European Union.
28 P. Koktsidis, FYROM’s EU Accession Hopes: A Delicate Balance, “ELIAMEP Briefing Notes”, 2013,
no. 6, p. 2.
29 Bulgaria and Greece Block Macedonia’s EU Talks, “Balkan Insight”, 12 December 2012, available at:
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bulgaria-joins-greece-in-blocking-macedonia-s-eubid,
last accessed on: 10 August 2014.
Rocznik Instytutu Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej • Rok 12 (2014) • Zeszyt 3