The Macedonian "Name Deal" Is A Dystopian Nightmare Of Totalitarian Control

[Swordsmyth]

Marketed as a long-awaited diplomatic breakthrough to a supposedly irreconcilable identity issue, the “name deal” represents nothing less than the full and total capitulation of the post-“constitutional coup” Macedonian authorities to their Greek neighbors with implications that stretch far and beyond simply fast tracking Skopje’s subsequent membership to the EU and NATO.

Regardless of how one might personally feel about the finer details of this dispute, it’s undeniable that the “resolution” being presented in the agreement is really just a thinly veiled cover for implementing a new type of post-modern control, one which will basically turn the Republic of Macedonia into a Greek puppet state whose people will continue to undergo socio-political experiments prior to having the “perfected” form of this model rolled out all across the EU.

To explain, the various “joint” structures that are created by this document will enable Greece to determine what Macedonian schoolchildren learn by granting Athens the power to censor their textbooks and affiliated materials.
Furthermore, undefined “politically incorrect” concepts and so-called “propaganda” that vaguely allude to what the document describes as being “likely to incite violence, hatred, or hostility” through the purported promotion of “chauvinism, hostility, irredentism and revisionism” are banned, with the Macedonian authorities being obligated to prosecute any person or organization that Greece accuses of violating these terms.
Not only that, but the Macedonian government officially agrees to consider the Greek-controlled region of Macedonia as constituting “Hellenic civilization, history, culture, and heritage…from antiquity to present day.”

Simply put, private citizens will be forbidden under pain of legal punishment from publicly referring to their ethnic Macedonian family members who fled what they refer to as Aegean Macedonia (a term that will also presumably be banned) unless they openly identify as “Greek” or “Hellenic”, as doing otherwise might risk Athens’ ire in being perceived as “inciting violence, hatred, or hostility” through “chauvinism, hostility, irredentism and revisionism”, which is an unprecedented affront to all patriotic Macedonians who care about their family’s roots.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...tarian-control

[Swordsmyth]

Low voter turnout has put another roadblock in Macedonia's path to joining NATO and the European Union. In a referendum on Sept. 30, more than 91 percent of voters supported the government's deal with Greece, which involves changing the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Greece has been blocking Macedonia's membership in the two organizations, and the deal would end a decadeslong dispute between the two countries. But voter turnout was only 37 percent, well below the 50 percent required to make the referendum valid.
After the results were announced, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that his government would still try to reform the country's constitution to change the name, as well as amend other passages, as part of the deal with Greece. But changing the constitution requires support from at least 80 of the 120 members of parliament, and Zaev's government controls only 71 seats. The main opposition party, the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE, has suggested that it will not support the change, arguing that the referendum has failed. In fact, prominent members of VMRO-DPMNE had asked voters to boycott the referendum, which partly explains the low turnout. Zaev said that if his government fails to reform the constitution, it would call for an early election. This would only delay the implementation of the agreement with Greece.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/artic...nge-referendum

[r3volution 3.0]

I haven't been following this story at all, but I can tell you that Macedonians are quite nationalistic: Alexander, you know.

I can see that they'd be reluctant to give up the name.

[goldenequity]

I haven't been following this story at all, but I can tell you that Macedonians are quite nationalistic: Alexander, you know.
I can see that they'd be reluctant to give up the name.

here's a little more background...

https://twitter.com/Ozkok_/status/1043964962107019264
and
U.S. Gives Soros Groups Millions to Destabilize Macedonia’s Conservative Govt.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/20...ervative-govt/
and
Moldovan Court Suspends President Over Refusal to Endorse New Ministers
https://sputniknews.com/europe/20180...ent-ministers/
(as normal.. hegemons bribe or 'sting' the politicians and then 'soft coup' the shiit out of things... see:Brazil.. heheheh)

and
this comment:

I suspect low turnout is because the minority that came is pro EU, liberals I suppose. And those who stayed home are traditionalists who didn't wan to handbrake the countrys development. You know how it is in this eastern European countries at start, they all want to be prosperous and be part of the elite club. But blinded by the bling don't pay attention that the club is crumbling.

It got lots to do with low self esteem of a nation and that is a problem with few in the east. We/they don't trust our own ideas, some don't even have strategy for national interest.

[Swordsmyth]

Although the September 30, 2018 name-change referendum in Macedonia, which was supposed to set that ex-Yugoslav federal republic on a path to (certain) NATO and (blithely promised but much less certain) EU membership, failed miserably, with only 36.91% of the voters turning out, well short of the 50% + 1 necessary for it to be valid – one would never know it from the reactions of its Western proponents and impatient beneficiaries. Indeed, a new term may be needed to adequately describe the reactions of the key pillars representing the reliquiae reliquiarum of the Western-led post-Cold War unipolar moment. Fake news simply doesn’t do them justice. Fake reality anyone?

The US State Department was firmly in denial, releasing the following statement:

“The United States welcomes the results of the Republic of Macedonia’s September 30 referendum, in which citizens expressed their support for NATO and European Union (EU) membership by accepting the Prespa Agreement between Macedonia and Greece. The United States strongly supports the Agreement’s full implementation, which will allow Macedonia to take its rightful place in NATO and the EU, contributing to regional stability, security, and prosperity. As Macedonia’s parliament now begins deliberation on constitutional changes, we urge leaders to rise above partisan politics and seize this historic opportunity to secure a brighter future for the country as a full participant in Western institutions.”

EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn wasn’t to be outdone in his contempt for the 63% of the Macedonian “deplorables” who stayed home in order to voice their disagreement with renouncing their perceived national identity and country name (it was to become “Northern Macedonia”) in exchange for the double joy of a) becoming NATO’s cannon-fodder in its increasingly hazardous game of chicken with Russia and b) the EU’s newest debt-serfs:

“Referendum in Macedonia: I congratulate those citizens who voted in today's consultative referendum and made use of their democratic freedoms. With the very significant "yes" vote, there is broad support to the #Prespa Agreement + to the country's #Euroatlantic path. I now expect all political leaders to respect this decision and take it forward with utmost responsibility and unity across party lines, in the interest of the country.”

He was seconded the following day, in a joint statement, by Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the EU Commission.

Understandably, as the most direct public stakeholder, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was particularly (hyper)active. As the disappointing results began to roll in, Stoltenberg went into immediate damage control, tweeting:

“I welcome the yes vote in Macedonia referendum. I urge all political leaders & parties to engage constructively & responsibly to seize this historic opportunity. #NATO’s door is open, but all national procedures have to be completed.”

He reinforced his delusional missive the next day, releasing a similar statement co-signed by EU President Donald Tusk. And the day after, during a news conference, Stoltenberg even offered lightning-quick NATO accession to the unwilling Macedonians – January 2019, to be exact – if they would just be so kind as to urgently implement the very agreement that they had just so emphatically rejected. When NATO says it promotes democratic values – it means it!

But that wasn’t the end of the “democracy mongering” surrounding what may well prove to be NATO’s, the EU’s and the rest of the end-of-history West’s Balkan Waterloo. For example, the EU Parliament’s Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, although “regretting that the turnout was less than 50%,” nevertheless hailed the referendum’s results and “call(ed) on the opposition to respect the expressed will of the majority [sic] of voters.”

The Group’s leader, Udo Bullmann, while also maintaining that, somehow, a voter turnout of under 37% still represented a “majority,” additionally used the occasion to chastise Macedonia’s President for having the nerve to call for a boycott of the referendum (he committed the crimethink of referring to it as “historical suicide” during his UN General Assembly address), as well as to decry – what else? – “reports about Russian interference in the electoral process.”
It goes without saying that Bullmann offered absolutely zero proof for his assertion. On the other hand, according to numerous media reports, as September 30 approached, while no high Russian official was to be seen anywhere in the vicinity, a veritable procession of Western political bigwigs made the pilgrimage to Skopje in order to reveal to the natives their “true” best interests: Sebastian Kurz, “Mad Dog” Mattis, the indefatigable Stoltenberg, Federica Mogherini, Johannes Hahn, Angela Merkel. No meddling there, obviously…
Speaking of Angela Merkel, she also joined her fellow Western democrats’ show of unanimous disdain for the Macedonian voters’ majority opinion, urging the country to “push ahead” with the implementation of the majority-rejected accord, citing voters’ “overwhelming support” [sic], and arguing through the mouth of her spokesman that the required 50% + 1 turnout was actually “very high,” as voter registers purportedly included many people who had long since left the country.


More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...lity-macedonia

[goldenequity]

Congrats 2 all the little people who followed their President and boycotted.

[homahr]

NATO Welcomes Another Military Midget


During the Cold War, NATO actually meant something. The Soviet Union was a totalitarian predator, the Western Europeans were exhausted, and Washington did not want to face a Soviet-dominated Eurasia.
Today the transatlantic alliance has descended into farce. Earlier this year, NATO invited the small Balkans country of Macedonia to join its ranks. In what now passes for the historic “Great Game” in Europe, officials anxiously awaited the results of Macedonia’s referendum on a national name change. Approval would allow the Western alliance to augment its collective forces by an astounding 8,000 men and 31 tanks.
For a quarter century, the countries of Greece and Macedonia, a small piece of what had been Yugoslavia, were deadlocked over the latter’s use of what Greeks considered to be their birthrate name. Officials in Athens insinuated that their small neighbor harbored aggressive designs and hoped to revive the historic Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great. With its vast legions, the newly independent nation might go on a militarist rampage and occupy Salonika, perhaps even Athens.
It’s the sort of nationalist nonsense that should cause any normal human being to laugh himself silly.


Instead the dispute quickly took on crisis proportions. As the diplomatic conflict was joined, Greeks referred to their northern neighbor as Skopje and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM. More important, Athens blocked The Country With the Disputed Name from joining both the European Union and NATO. In doing so, it inadvertently did America a favor, by preventing another needless alliance expansion. Still, year after year American and European diplomats busied themselves attempting to resolve the dispute.
And then Athens and Skopje finally came to an agreement. After years of angry argument and Western mediation, Macedonia is to be called the Republic of Northern Macedonia. Apparently, the ghosts of Alexander dissipate when you move further north. If approved, the pact would lead to Skopje’s entry into NATO and possible accession to the EU. However, any compromise was too much for some nationalists, and the proposal has incited anger in both nations.

On Sunday, Macedonians cast ballots, and things didn’t work out as expected. Almost 92 percent voted yes, but turnout was only 37 percent, well below the normal 50 percent threshold. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev remained confident: “I am determined to take Macedonia into the European Union and NATO.” However, though the poll was not binding, some legislators may reject the change, given its ambivalent public backing. Nationalists already held enough seats to block the two-thirds majority necessary to change the constitution.
Moreover, the dubious result gives the transatlantic alliance a chance to rethink its invitation. NATO is about war. It is bad enough to induct a military midget and security black hole dependent on other members, most importantly America. It is even worse to add a country divided—Macedonia suffered through a brief civil war between the ethnic Slavic majority and Albanian minority—and subject to international controversy (Russia is intensely opposed to Macedonian accession).

change_meYet the State Department continues its role as NATO’s cheerleader, treating membership as a form of charity. State spokeswoman Heather Nauert observed: “As Macedonia’s parliament now begins deliberation on constitutional changes, we urge leaders to rise above partisan politics and seize this historic opportunity to secure a brighter future for the country as a full participant in Western institutions.” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had traveled to Skopje to urge a yes vote.

Does President Donald Trump have any idea what administration officials are doing in his name? After all, NATO’s newest member is Montenegro. And while the invitation was issued by the Obama administration, the Senate did not approve Montenegro’s membership until President Trump had taken over.

After last July’s NATO summit, Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson asked why his son should be sent to defend Montenegro. President Trump responded: “They are very aggressive people. They may get aggressive, and congratulations, you’re in World War III.” If the president believed that, why did he allow Podgorica to join? He apparently does not comprehend his administration’s role in admitting Montenegro.
Small, mountainous Montenegro is most notable for being the movie set for James Bond’s Casino Royale. With a military of just a couple thousand, it looks like a modern version of the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, the fictional protagonist in the novel The Mouse that Roared. Unfortunately, despite the extravagant claims made by NATO officials on Podgorica’s behalf, the micro-state won’t be able to do much to protect Western civilization from the barbarian hordes.

Although Montenegro isn’t likely to start a war by invading Russia, as the president seemed to suggest, smaller states can trigger wars. In 1888, Germany’s famed Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, accurately prophesied, “One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans.” Serbia became the fuse for World War I.
Nevertheless, the usual Washington elites were horrified by President Trump’s remarks. The late Senator John McCain, who after Lebanon never found a war he didn’t want the U.S. to fight, complained: “By attacking Montenegro and questioning our obligations under NATO, the president is playing right into Putin’s hands.” Former NATO supreme commander and presidential candidate Wesley Clark argued, “Trump’s comments weaken NATO, give Russia a license to cause trouble and thereby actually increase the risks of renewed conflict in the Balkans.”
The U.S. should enter into alliances only to enhance its security. That means forming defense relationships with countries that can contribute to that security or that otherwise warrant protecting. Alliances should be based on circumstances and treated as a means rather than an end, which means they should be temporary, ending along with the exigencies that led to their creation. Or they should be turned into looser cooperative relationships directed at common but less vital interests.

After World War II ended, NATO was established to shield Western Europe from the menace of the Red Army, which was well advanced into Central Europe. Even then, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the alliance’s first commander and later president, warned about the debilitating impact of permanent troop deployments on the continent. After their recovery, European states continued to underspend on their militaries and rely on America. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, the alliance’s raison d’etre also ended.
But never mind. The incentives identified by Public Choice economics kicked in, as desperate NATO officials debated new duties for the old military alliance, ranging from the ludicrous to the sublime, including proposals to promote student exchanges and fight the illicit drug trade. Eventually the alliance got engaged in “out of area” activities well beyond Europe, as members dragged each other into bizarre conflicts with little or no relevance to their common defense: intervening in multiple phases of Yugoslavia’s and then Serbia’s civil war, social engineering in the Balkans, undertaking 17 years of nation-building in Afghanistan, replacing Libya’s long-ruling dictator with murder and mayhem.
The record went from bad to worse. Today, members of NATO fight wars to justify the alliance rather than preserve it to prevent wars. And then they celebrate when it inducts the latest military midget enveloped in discord and conflict. With Montenegro and Macedonia in, can Monaco be far behind?

No doubt this would have been the strategy had Hillary Clinton won the 2016 election. But why does President Trump continue with policies that he so sharply criticized not only as a candidate but as president?
His administration admitted Montenegro. His administration invited Macedonia to join. His administration steadily increased financial and military commitments to Europe. He responded favorably to Poland’s request for a permanent U.S. base. Every one of these steps undercut his demand that Europeans spend and do more. They are watching what Washington does, not listening to what it says.
The Macedonian people have shown more sense than NATO officials, exhibiting little enthusiasm for a meaningless expansion of alliance commitments. That creates an opportunity for President Trump to assert control over his administration’s policy. Only he can say no to NATO as a fake alliance, with a Duchy of Grand Fenwick lookalike as the latest honored new member.

[Swordsmyth]

Macedonia's government adopted a draft law on Oct. 8 for a constitutional reform officially changing the country's name in accordance with an agreement with Greece, Reuters reported.

Macedonia's government is working to keep its agreement with Greece alive, but the ruling party is nine seats short of being able to pass a constitutional reform. If the government fails to reform the constitution, an early election could take place before 2019 and act as an unofficial referendum on changing the country's name.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ange-procedure

[Swordsmyth]

Macedonia’s parliament yesterday voted to start the process of renaming the country North Macedonia, a major step towards ending a decades-long diplomatic stalemate with Greece. The vote came after a tense week of debate and back-room negotiations in Skopje, where it was unclear until the last moment whether the government could secure the necessary two-thirds majority.
Amendments will now be drafted to incorporate the new name into the constitution, after which another parliamentary vote will be required to enshrine the changes.
“I can confirm that with 80 ‘yes’ votes the parliament adopted the proposal by the government to start the procedure to change the constitution,” said Talat Xhaferi, speaker of the 120-member assembly.

It is a crucial victory for Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who had to win over several MPS from the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, whose leadership is firmly against the deal.


The Macedonia opposition and its supporters have slammed the deal as an embarrassing concession to Athens.
But enough of VMRO-DPMNE’s MPs were eventually persuaded to break ranks with the party leadership.
“I want to say thank you to every MP and especially to the MPs from VMRO-DPMNE who put the state’s interests above party and personal interests despite the unnecessary pressure over them,” Zaev said after the vote, adding that he would “guarantee” their safety.


Among the ‘yes’ voters were three VMRO-DPMNE politicians who were granted bail from house arrest this week, in trials over their alleged involvement in a bloody mob attack on parliament on April 27, 2017.
On that day a nationalist supporters of VMRO-DPMNE stormed parliament and injured scores, including Zaev.
The Prime Minister refused to say yesterday whether there had been any negotiation for their eventual amnesty.
“I personally forgive everyone,” he told reporters, without elaborating.
He also denied an accusation from VMRO-DPMNE that his government had offered bribes for votes.



Earlier in the week US Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell wrote a letter to VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski saying he was “disappointed” with the party’s stance.
Moscow, which opposes Macedonia’s Nato aspirations, responded by accusing the West of meddling in Macedonia’s internal affairs.
“There is a continuation of the crudest interference of the US and EU in Skopje’s internal affairs, the level of which has already surpassed conceivable boundaries. The goal — pulling Macedonia into Nato — is meant to be achieved at any cost,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.


More at: https://www.malaymail.com/s/1684828/...change-process

[Swordsmyth]

The Macedonian parliament passed four constitutional amendments on Jan. 11 to change the country's name from the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia, Balkan Insight reported.

The Greek Parliament will now hold a vote of its own on whether to ratify the agreement.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...-countrys-name

[Swordsmyth]

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tspiras Sunday called an "immediate" no-confidence vote in parliament over the resignation of a top minister opposed to the country's name change deal with Macedonia.
"We will proceed immediately to the renewal of the confidence in our government by the parliament in order to proceed with the major issues for our country," he said.
Mr Tsipras earlier Sunday accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, who is head of his main coalition ally in government, the nationalist Independent Greeks party (ANEL).
The semi-official ANA news agency said the debate on a no-confidence vote could begin as early as Tuesday and could be concluded by Thursday.
Mr Kammenos said that he would vote against the government as supporting it would imply backing for the name deal with Macedonia.
The nationalist ANEL has supported the Tsipras administration with its seven lawmakers and has six ministers and junior ministers in the government.
Mr Kammenos had threatened to pull out of the government when the name deal comes to a vote in Athens from the moment Mr Tsipras signed it with Zoran Zaev, the Macedonian prime minister, in the border Prespes region in June. However some of his ANEL party's MPs remain ambivalent.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/greek-parliam...143009856.html

[Slave Mentality]

Can anyone join the ANEL party?

[Swordsmyth]

The United States has expressed support for Macedonia joining NATO and the European Union once a deal renaming the country North Macedonia goes into effect.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised lawmakers in Macedonia for approving the constitutional amendments needed for the name change and other terms of the country's agreement with Greece to end a long-running dispute.
He says the agreement is "a historic opportunity to advance stability, security, and prosperity throughout the region."
Pompeo said in a statement on Saturday: "Macedonia's leaders demonstrated vision, courage, and persistence in their pursuit of a solution to the name dispute, which will allow Macedonia to take its rightful place in NATO and the EU as the Republic of North Macedonia."

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/latest-us-bac...161909588.html

[Swordsmyth]

Greece's government survived a no-confidence vote in the country's parliament on Jan. 16, winning by a narrow margin of 151 to 148 votes, Ekathimerini reported.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ion-parliament

[Swordsmyth]

Clashes broke out between police and a group of masked protesters in Athens on Sunday as tens of thousands demonstrated against a name change deal with neighbouring Macedonia that the Greek parliament is due to ratify in days.The violence flared as Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attempts to face down a political storm over his championing of a landmark agreement with Macedonia aimed at ending a 27-year dispute with Athens over the country's name.
Twenty-five police officers were hurt in the protests, according to a statement from the Greek citizens' protection ministry, while a first aid station said two protesters were hospitalised with breathing difficulties.
Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000 while organisers said 100,000 people had arrived for the rally, with hundreds of buses bringing demonstrators, especially from the region of northern Greece that also claims the Macedonia name.
Scuffles broke out after about 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building, throwing stones and other projectiles. Riot police responded with volleys of tear gas, dispersing the crowd outside the legislature.
The masked youths then set upon journalists at the scene, smashing the equipment of photographers and cameramen, according to an AFP reporter.
According to the government "the incidents were provoked by extremists, members of the Golden Dawn, who attempted to enter parliament".
"They attacked police with bits of wood and clubs, sending dozens of wounded to the hospital," said a statement from Tsipras.
A wide range of Greek political parties, from the far-right Golden Dawn to the Socialists, oppose the accord to rename Macedonia the Republic of North Macedonia.
But it could nonetheless be approved by the required 151 deputies in the 300-seat parliament in the coming days.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/clashes-athen...170814211.html

[Swordsmyth]

The Greek parliament has voted to approve a controversial name agreement with Macedonia by a final vote tally of 153 to 146, Ekathimerini reported Jan. 25.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ment-macedonia