ESI president proposes Macedonia's immediate NATO accession, start of EU talks

Skopje, 10 August 2010 (MIA) - The European Commission has already said Macedonia meets conditions to start Union accession talks. However, it would be unrealistic to expect the EU to put pressure on Greece, since they have not been doing that in the past 20 years, said Gerald Knaus, president of the European Stability Initiative (ESI) in an interview with Ohrid TV station NTV.

On the basis of recent contacts he has had with European officials, but also in Greece, Knaus says efforts are invested in reaching an optimal solution, adding the EU cannot expect Macedonia to make a concession only because of a promise over the start of membership negotiations.

"The real challenge for Macedonian politicians now is how to get more benefits for the country without making large concessions, which would not be accepted by way of referendum. A compromise must be reached with Greece for the sake of EU accession, but such compromise must also be sufficiently attractive to the public in Macedonia", he stresses.

According to Knaus, Macedonia's four priorities in this period are obtaining an invitation for NATO membership, start of EU accession talks in 2010 without making large concessions regarding the name, a guarantee that the country would not be abused in the later stages of negotiations, as well as finding allies that would assist its swift EU accession.

ESI proposes a change to the constitutional name, but its entry into force later.

"You would keep the veto right not to implement the change. This means you would join NATO, reach an agreement with Greece over the name and change FYROM, but only FYROM. The changed name, be it Republic of Macedonia-Vardar or other, will not enter into force until voters in Macedonia are sure they have a future within the EU, followed by a decision on the constitutional changes", says Knaus.

He adds that in a time of global economic crisis and EU enlargement skepticism, Macedonia would be the first country after Croatia to start negotiations, which would benefit the economy and entry of foreign direct investments.

ESI will release a report in the coming days, in which it proposes Macedonia's immediate NATO accession, immediate start of EU accession talks, and eventually, a referendum.