Nikola Gruevski called on the members of Parliament to reject Zaev’s proposal to rename MAcedonia into North Macedonia. The former Prime Minister and VMRO leader, who is now a political emigre in Budapest, says that he has supported Macedonia’s EU and NATO accession, but only with a reasonable deal on the name, “and this is not it”.
We are in the final hours before the vote in which the Parliament will amend the Constitution and will alter our name, identity and history. Once these changes are approved in the Macedonian Parliament, Greece will certainly jump at the historic opportunity to complete the deal which represents complete triumph for them, and a national catastrophe for us. This is a deal which they couldn’t even dream about two years ago, Gruevski writes on his Facebook post published today.
He reminds the Macedonian nation that it is now clear that a deal with Greece was not possible without a complete betrayal of Macedonian national interests, which was unacceptable to him.
Gruevski adds that it is also clear that the political crisis that started in 2015 was engineered only to get the country to this point, to accept a total defeat in the name talks.
You now realize that all that was happening in the last four years was put in motion to get us to this type of deal. All the fabricated materials against me, the artificially drummed up negative image of VMRO-DPMNE, the unprecedented levels of propaganda. The moves to prevent us from forming a Government in 2016, the unlawful appointment of a new Speaker of the Parliament, the trials of hundreds of politicians and their associates, the detentions, arrests, and then sudden orders to release people from prison, fabricated charges against me personally and a long line of others which ultimately broke our legal system, the basic code of conduct and the fundamental moral values in Macedonia. A side effect of all this was that the deluge of people leaving the country is now five times larger than before, Gruevski writes.
According to Gruevski, the “harmful” treaty signed with Bulgaria and the “unconstitutional” law on the use of the Albanian language that followed the formation of Zaev’s Government in 2017 were only an introduction into the main affair – “a name change by a puppet Government”.
I was and I remain a great supporter of having Macedonia join NATO and EU. Our place is there, in an alliance with America. And I supported having a reasonable compromise on the name in order to achieve that goal. This concept, with this deal we now have, is dead. The majority of the people do not accept this treaty. We saw that in the outcome of the referendum. But the puppet Government is determined to go against the will of the people, and will not stop at arresting, expelling or killing anybody who stands in its way. The people are ut and protesting, but the decision is in the hands of the members of Parliament. This is not a night when the representatives of the majority will sleep well. This is the final night where they can think, rethink, and decide to put the national ahead of the partisan or personal interest. I know it’s not easy for you. Trust me, I would know. Gruevski writes.
He assures the members of Parliament that a better deal is possible, if they reject the one put forward by Zaev.
These are historic decisions. Yes, a better and more equal agreement is possible. We need to have faith, courage, to reject the blackmails, to put in will and time and to achieve both: a reasonable compromise/fair deal and to join NATO and EU. Don’t forget that you are about to put a black mark on the 140 years long bloody struggle for the Macedonian national issue. The blood that was spilled deserves that our national issue is resolved, but in favor of the Macedonians. Or, resolved, but not at our cost. It is in your hands now. It is up to you, Gruevski concludes.
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