The identity will not be altered, it remains Macedonian

Replying to the remarks of VMRO-DPMNE’s MPs, the President of the Government Zoran Zaev gave the following statement, which we consider true:

The geographical qualifier North is the price that Macedonia pays for joining EU and NATO, but the identity will not be altered and it remains “Macedonian”.

[Source: Sakam da kazam, date: 7 November 2018]

EXPLANATION:

In the session of the Committee on Constitutional Issues (7 November 2018), which discussed the amendments to the Constitution pursuant to the Prespa Agreement for settlement on the name issue with Greece, replying to VMRO-DPMNE’s MP Trajko Veljanovski, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that these constitutional alterations will not change the identity and it remains Macedonian. This statement of his is true.

A look at the Agreement for settlement on the decade-long name issue, which was ratified by the Parliament of the RM on 20 June 2018, will prove that the aforesaid is correct. This document, in which the country’s new name is “Republic of North Macedonia” erga omnes and which translatas into every language neither contains a single provision that endangers the Macedonian identity and the Macedonian uniqueness, nor erases the terms “Macedonia” and “Macedonian”.

Au contraire, article 7(3) of the Agreement guarantees the Macedonian identity and the right to identify ourselves as Macedonians.

When reference is made to the Second Party, these terms (Macedonia and Macedonian, our remark) denote its territory, language, people and their attributes, with their own history, culture, and heritage, distinctly different from those referred to under Article 7(2).

Thus, in his replies to the opposition MPs and speeches on this topic, the Prime Minister has told many times that the constitutional amendments are drafted pursuant to the Prespa Agreement and the term Macedonian (in every sense and gender of the word) is protected permanently and will no longer be denied or disputed. Furthermore, in the name of Macedonia’s integration in the NATO and EU, while asking for support from all MPs, Zaev emphasized:

Amendment 36. This amendment will reword the current article 49, which will read that the Republic of Macedonia protects, guarantees and nurtures the historical and cultural heritage of the Macedonian people.

The new, reworded, article 49 guarantees the protection of the Macedonian identity. The identity of the Macedonian people is protected. There will not be any alterations of the identity. The Constitution assumes the obligation to protect and nurture the Macedonian identity. (Zaev).

Notwithstanding it is said that the facts that the Agreement for settlement on the Macedonian – Greek name issue has nothing to do with the identity issues of the Macedonians, opposition representatives have been spinning the truth and using scathe after the signing of the Prespa Agreement (17 June 2018) to imply that “The agreement with Greece erases Macedonia and alters its identity”. Such claim is incorrect and unfortunately is susceptible to manipulations and earning daily political points.

SOURCES:

• Sakam da kazam (7 November 2018): АСНОМ не се брише од Преамбулата, со договорот индентитетот е загарантиран, рече Заев на собраниската расправа за уставните измени [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• Time.mk (7 November 2018): Заев: Додавката „северна“ е цената за влез на Македонија во ЕУ и НАТО [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• Government of the RM (14 June 2018): Конечна спогодба за решавање на разликите опишани во резолуциите 817 (1993) и 845 (1993) на Светот за безбедност на Обединетите Нации, за престанување на важноста на Привремената спогодба од 1995 г. и за воспоставување на стратешко партнерство меѓу страните Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• Time.mk ( 17.06.2018): Во Преспа потпишан договор меѓу Македонија и Грција [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• Kanal 5 (7 November 2018): Заев: Со нацрт амандманите се внесува обврска за заштита и се гарантира македонскиот идентитет [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• Government of the RM (7 November 2018): Премиерот Заев пред Уставната Комисија во Собранието: Со нацрт амандманите се внесува обврска за заштита и се гарантира македонскиот идентитет   [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• VMRO-DPMNE’s website (5 September 2018): Договорот со Грција ја брише Македонија и го менува нејзиниот идентитет [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]
• Denesen (20 July 2018): ВМРО-ДПМНЕ: Договорот со Грција е штетен и капитулантски, затоа во референдумското прашање Заев бара помош од НАТО и од ЕУ  [Accessed on: 8 November 2018]

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