Republic of Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia –FYROM)

1. Republic of Macedonia(Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia –FYROM) Political systems in South-Eastern Europe POL 482 Věra Stojarová

2. Problems of the newly emerged state: Recognition of the Macedonian nation by Bulgarians Recognition of the Republic of Macedonia by Greece Recognition of the Macedonian orthodox church by Serbia Albanian minority

3. Nation building, state building of the Macedonian nation (or of the Bulgarian nation???) at the end of the 19th century??? The original "Macedonian Revolutionary Organization" (MRO) was established in Sofia. The distinction between being a Macedonian and being a Macedonian-Bulgarian was not sharp, to use a polite understatement. The Bulgarians "proper" regarded the Macedonians as second class, primitive and uncultured Bulgarian relatives who inhabit a part of Bulgaria to the east. The Macedonians themselves were divided. Some wished to be incorporated in Bulgaria, the civilized and advanced society and culture. Others wanted an independent state - though they, too, believed that the salvation of such an entity - both demographic and financial - lies abroad, with the diaspora and benevolent foreign powers. A third group (and Goce Delcev was, for a time, among them) wanted a federation of all states Balkan with an equal standing for a Macedonian polity (autonomy).

4. Warming up in the relations of USSR and Yugoslavia: 1945-1948 1953-1956 1960-1968 Recognition of the Macedonian nation by Bulgaria: 1953: tendention towards recognition 1961: Bulgaria recognises, that since the WWII we could observe the formation of the macedonian nation Since 1971: improving of the situation, Bulgaria signs the documents in bulgarian as well as macedonian language Recognition of the Macedonian nation by Bulgarians influenced by the Yugoslav-Soviet swinging politics:It became axiomatic that whenever relations between Moscow and Belgrade cooled, then the heat rose in the Macedonian problem as far as Sofia was concerned.

5. Recognition of the Republic of Macedonia by Bulgaria Bulgaria recognized the Republic of Macedonia, 15th of January 1992, though the EC with the Greek leadership rejected to recognise the new state (eventhough the Badinter commission recommended Macedonia for the recognition) However, Bulgaria refused to recognise the macedonian nation and the macedonian language ( hidden thoughts: Macedonians are Bulgarians, annexation of the independent state is easier??) The idea of the project of Greater Bulgaria had supporters neither on the bulgarian nor on the macedonian side and has faded away.

6. Recognition of the Republic of Macedonia was refused by Greek objections: The Macedonia is a name of the nothern Greek province and has historical connotation (Alexander Great. „Macedonia“ belongs to the Greek historical tradition. Greek nationalists alleged that The Republic of Macedonia was using The WhiteTowerof Thessalloniki on its coat of arms and its new childish banknotesallegedly implying the will for the coast or for the idea of the Greater Macedonia. The flag: the sixteen-ray "Vergina Sun" star that was to appear on the flag was a symbol of the ancient state of Macedon, to which Greece claimed to be the sole heir. The constitution: a reference in Article 49 to the Republic caring "for the status and rights of those persons belonging to the Macedonian people in neighboring countries, as well as Macedonian expatriates, assist[ing] their cultural development and promot[ing] links with them," which Greece interpreted as encouraging separatism among its own Macedonian Slav minority.

7. The empire of the Alexander the Great

8. The map of the United (Great) Macedonia

9. Greek recommendations for the name of the new state: Vardar republic Republic of Skopje Former republic Macedonia of Former Yugoslavia

10. Greek reactions: Closing of the consulate in Skopje Total embargo on the trade with Macedonia including transit (the cargo over Bulgaria complicated through the neexistence of adequate railway tracks, not talking about Albania The normalisation of the bilateral relations: temporary agreement: The Greece recognises Macedonia under the name FYROM, recognises the borders and revokes the embargo. Macedonia promised not to have any land demands, not to engage in the protection of the macedonian minority in Greece and promised to change the state symbols.

11. Bilateral relations with Serbia The withdrawal of the Serbian forces was smooth and quick (Serbian engagement in Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo, no serbian minority in Macedonia) Case of Macedonian orthodox church – Serbian orthodox church does not recognise the Macedonian orthodox church and claims the property (churches, monasteries etc.) on the Macedonian territory

12. Problems with the Albanian minority Demand for the cultural, school and administrative authonomy Proclamation of the Republic of Ilyrida (2.4.1992 recognized by nobody) 1992 riots, UN sent small stabilisational contingent

13. Question of the Albanian university The Albanians lost the chance of the university education with the dissolution of Yugoslavia and demand the university in albanian language, which is neglected by the Macedonians. The Albanians set up the University in Tetovo in 1995, the state does not support it financially and the diplomas are not recognized The state re-established the Pedagogical institute inb Skopje, with the classes hold in the Albanian language.

14. Escalation of the conflict After the end of the Kosovo conflict, the extremists flew to the southeastern Serbia as well as to Macedonia. The Macedonia asked NATO to hinder the proliferation of the extremists to Macedonia June 2001 „small war“ – the Macedonian UÇK (National Liberation Army) beset the Aračinovo in the nearby of Skopje, took hostages and was holding the airport under the fire.

15. Resolution of the conflict In the meantime the Milošević regime in Serbia fell down (5.10.2000) The international community lost interest to support the Albanians (liquidation of the 5km demilitarised zone in southeastern Serbia, where the serbian army could return 5.7.2001 – truce negotiation in Ohrid, political agreement about the Constitutional changes

16. Ohrid agreement Inviolability of borders and integrity of the Republic of Macedonia Demilitarisation of the UÇK Macedonian government is obliged to pass the new decentralisation law, held a new census, assure the equality of all citizens in the governmental agencies The change of the Constitution and the decentralisation law is possible only under the consent of the 2/3 in the parliament and simultaneously under the 2/3 within the minority in the parliament. The laws dealing with the culture, language, education, ID´s, use of symbols, local finances, local elections, status of Skopkje only under the consent of the 2/3 MP´s of the minority nation. The chance of having parallel albanian faculties under the umbrella of current universities Affirmative action in the education systém Macedonian language as the offical language, where the minority is more thatn 20 % then their language official as well. The IDs in the language of the minority, symbols only with simoultaneous use with the macedonian ones.

17. Political system • Parliament : • 123 MPs, 4 years • 1991-1998 majority voting system, 120 single member constituencies • 1998-2002 85 single member constituencies, 35 proportional with 5 % threshhold and d´Hondt. • 2002 proportional system for all 120 seats, no threshhold, d´Hondt. • 2011 120 prop + 3 single member districts • President • Directly elected for 5 years term, no more than twice. A candidate for President of the Republic can be nominated by a minimum of 10,000 voters or at least 30 Representatives. A candidate for President of the Republic is elected if voted by a majority of the total number of voters. If in the first round of voting no candidate wins the majority required, voting in the second round is restricted to the two candidates who have won most votes in the first round.Weak and symbolic institution.

18. Presidents Kiro Gligorov 1991-1999 Boris Trajkovski 1999-2004 Branko Crvenkovski since 2004-2009 Gjorge Ivanov since 2009

19. Left: Social Democratic Uniof of Macedonia SDSM It is the succesor of the League of Communists of Macedonia, 1992-1998 in power 2002-2006 in power Leader of this party since 2013 Zoran Zaev

20. (Radical, resp. moderate) right– VMRO-DPMNE The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National UnityVMRO-DPMNE The party's name derives from the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, a liberation movement founded in 1893. The original VMRO (IMRO) was suppressed in the 1930s, at which time the territory of the current Republic of Macedonia was part of Yugoslavia. 1998-2002 in power Since 2006 in power much more moderate policy than expected

21. Main political parties - BDI The Democratic Union for Integration DUI the largest political party among ethnic Albanians. The DUI is the successor to the Albanian National Liberation Army, it was formed 3 months before the elections in June 2002. It formed coalition with with the Social Democratic Union of Macedoniaand the Liberal Democratic Party.

22. Radical Albanian party- DPA (PDSH) party of the ethnic Albanians After the 1998 elections the DPA entered the government coalition led by the VMRO-DPMNE.

23. Moderate albanian party - PDP ethnic Albanian formed in April 1990 1992 -1998 the PDP was part of the coalition governments led by the SDSM.

24. Main political parties The Liberal Democratic Party a liberal party The Liberal Democratic Party was launched in April 1997 as a merger between the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party.

25. Macedonia on the way towards EU • Was granted candidate status in 2005 • However still problem with greek boycott