European Union Ambassador to Macedonia David Geer came to Zaev’s defense today and stated that European standards don’t provide the inclusion of ethnic identity in documents such as identity cards.

Zaev promised to include the nationality in the future cards to his BESA coalition partner, which is eager to have ethnic Albanians receive cards that identify them as Albanians. VMRO-DPMNE also supported the proposal that was officially sent to Parliament insisting that it will allow ethnic Macedonians to have their identity shored up, in face of constant pressure from neighboring countries. But the Greek Ambassador to Macedonia reportedly met with representatives of the ruling coalition and warned them that having “Macedonian” in the identity cards will violate the Prespa Treaty. Zaev then relied on the populist Levica party to stall the proposal in Parliament, and today Ambassador Geer’s comment was meant to put an end to it, thereby likely defusing the crisis in the coalition between Zaev’s SDSM party and BESA.

Geer said that identity cards are regulated by EU member states, but that the EU is preparing a regulation that would forbid having racial, ethnic, national and religious details stated in identity cards.

Zaev insisted that Greece did not object to the documents. “We checked this issue with them through diplomatic means in 2019, when we voted on our constitutional amendments. There is no problem with using identity designations”, Zaev said. He insists that the clause of the Prespa Treaty with Greece that allows Macedonians to use a designation: “nationality – Macedonian/citizen of the Repubic of North Macedonia” refers to our national identity and often insisted that “Greece recognized the Macedonian nation” in campaigns. Greek officials made it clear that it merely means citizenship and not ethnic identity.