A failure to open EU accession talks would clearly create a political environment making the further implementation of the Prespa treaty impossible. But politics aside, the treaty itself contains a clause that makes its implementation, at least domestically, in Macedonia, impossible if EU accession talks are not initiated, Alfa TV reports.

Article 1(10) includes a clause that reassures both Macedonia and Greece that the treaty will be implemented as imagined – that Macedonia will not protract the imposition of the name “North Macedonia” indefinitely, but also that Greece will not decide to block Macedonia’s EU accession talks despite the treaty.

The “political” transitional period shall relate to all documents and materials exclusively for internal usage in the Second Party. The issuance of the documents and materials falling under this category in accordance with Article 1 (3) shall commence at the opening of each EU negotiation chapter in the relevant field, and shall be finalized within five years thereof, is the text of the article.

This means that Macedonia will have to use the imposed name on all official documents, identity papers, uniforms, currency.. within five years of signing of the treaty in 2018. In many instances, owing to the over-eagerness of the Zaev Government, this “domestic implementation” is already under way.

But, the other condition – that the implementation will be tied with the opening of chapters of the EU accession talks, guarantees to Macedonia that a right wing Government in Greece, will not decide to veto Macedonia’s accession talks in violation of the treaty. The article does not specify who is not allowed to veto the accession talks, it simply links domestic implementation of the treaty with the accession talks. As Macedonia faces the prospect of a French, or a French – Dutch veto to its accession talks, even with Greece holding true to the text of the agreement, if the main reward for its signing – the EU accession – does not happen, the implementation of the Prespa treaty in the Macedonia could be easily derailed.

Our Government ran ahead of the Prespa treaty and implemented obligations that were not yet due, Alfa reports, adding that more than 130 institutions were renamed with the addition of the adjective “North” or the removal of the word “Macedonian”, and school diplomas already use the name “North Macedonia” even though the equivalent EU chapters were not opened yet.

Other instances in which the Zaev Government is going above and beyond the requirements of the treaty, Alfa reports, is the abandoning of the use of “Macedonian”, which is supposed to be “allowed” for use, in Macedonia. Most notably, some of the national holidays were rebranded, so Independence Day was celebrated under the slogan “The colors of independence” with the notable omission of the name of the country and the people that secured independence on September 8th 1991, while Ilinden was called “national” instead of “Macedonian uprising”.

Macedonia long insisted that the name dispute is resolved using the dual formula – domestic use of the name Republic of Macedonia, while a different name, more acceptable to Greece, is used internationally. Greece, on the other hand, insisted on the erga omnes formula – one name for all uses, domestic and international, and Zoran Zaev quickly accepted this after assuming power. But, a failure of the EU agenda could lead to a de facto dual formula – with this, or more likely a future Macedonian Government insisting that it can’t implement the Prespa treaty domestically without the appropriate EU chapters being opened.