FYROM's Nikola Gruevski Lawsuit: His Latest Provocation

The news that Nikola Gruevski, the Prime Minister of FYROM and his Government have chosen to file a lawsuit against Greece, claiming that Greece broke the 1993 Interim accord by vetoing FYROM's acceptance into NATO at the Bucarest summit, comes not as surprise. During the entire mandate of Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE led Government, several attempts of playing the victim card have been tried. After his idea to open the "Aegean"* Question after the relavant chapter of the history has been closed for 60 years, in a naive manner, by issuing resolutions and Spam-like correspondence, this new actions comes just few months before the local and Presidential election in Mr. Gruevski's despotate. The purpose of the lawsuit is understandable. It is not an appeal for legal solution of rightful grievances but a continuation of the "war of symbols" practiced by VMRO-DPMNE. Following the Orwellian maxim "however controls the past, controls the future" the fascistic regime of Gruevski instilled fake sense of identity among Slavs of FYROM, at the same time creating a conviction among the general population that preserving and cherishing this falsified heritage is an act of uttermost priority, a categorical imperative that sets preconditions for social success. Consequently, this last move of desperation from an ideologically bankrupt regime, which views the world in 21st century with the mentality typical of 19th century, when the original VMRO, a gang of nationalist butchers cherishing the idea of Greater Bulgaria, was founded.

After the announcement of the decision in the afternoon hours at 17-X-2008, the media loyal to the regime commented that this is an adequate answer to the policy of official Athens. No mention has been made for the reactivation of irredentist behavior, usage of Greek symbols, promotion of falsified history in a methodical, systematic way, which was ubiquitous for several months.

The lawsuit accuses Greece that it broke the article 11 from the 1995 Accord, but that is not a case

The article in question reads:

Article 11

1. Upon entry into force of this Interim Accord, The Party of the First Part agrees not to object to the application by or the membership of the Party of the Second Part in international, multilateral and regional organizations and institutions of which the Party of the First Part is a member; however, the Party of the First Part reserves the right to object to any membership referred to above if and to the extent of the Party of the Second Part is to be referred to in such organization or institution differently than in paragraph 2 of the United Nations Security Council resolution 817 (1993). "

This article obviously does not apply to the fact that FYROM's application for membership at the NATO Summit in Bucharest resulted from a convergence of opinions that FYROM isn't ready and it was caused by a multiple failures of reforms wanted from official Skopje. Finally the aforementioned barrage of provocative actions affirmed that FYROM, headed by Gruevski, shows unacceptable, irredentist behavior towards a Greece as a NATO member of long standing.

The latest move by Skopje is therefore, nothing more than a public relationship stunt with aim to fortify hardline totalitarian attitude of FYROMian population, to divert attention from true problems. It is a logical next step after intensive demonization of Greece during VMRO-DPMNE's mandate at one hand and evidence of refusal on behalf of FYROM to end the ongoing negotiation in reasonable time, since most legal experts confirmed that if the lawsuit is accepted by the International Court in Hague, it will take no less than three years before a final decision.

The lawsuit was strongly criticized by FYROM's President Branko Crvenkovski who characterized it as a "catastrophe on behalf of foreign policy makers".

Aegean Macedonia", "Aegean Macedonians" are recently invented irredentist terms with intention of usurpation of the singular, Greek Macedonia as well as to give impression a number of migrants from villages around the North-Western Macedonian towns of Florina and Kastoria (most of them defeated Communist guerrillas) were the primary population of entire Macedonia. This term implies some connection to the Aegean sea, while in reality this small community was always far removed from the Aegean littoral, and without any historical, naval tradition.