Following is (a) the full transcript of my interview in SPUTNIK NEWS on the FYROM referendum and (b) its coverage in SPUTNIK’s webpage (together with the directly opposite (sic!) views of Papadimoulis)
Sputnik News
30/9/2018
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201809301068460080-macedonia-referendum-sunday/
- What are your expectations from the outcomes of the referendum?
I expect that the ‘yes’ will prevail in the FYROM referendum on the Prespes Lakes’ agreement. The pressure applied upon the populace of this small and weak country by the major Western powers (both the US and the EU) is formidable. All the important EU leaders have passed from the country and pressed unbashfully for the acceptance of the agreement. The US did also the same. In normal circumstances these acts would amount to blatant foreign intervention in internal affairs reminiscent of colonial powers. Thus, despite the initial reactions (that sometimes were extremely violent) even the opposition parties refrain from even campaigning for a ‘no’ vote. There is a small possibility that voters’ participation might not be massive enough so as to legitimize the result. But it has already been declared that in this case the agreement will be put for vote in the parliament. In a nutshell, the big Western powers are very determined to impose the agreement which puts another brick in making the Western Balkans the West’s ‘backyard’. The local ruling class is too thirsty for power and money and too subservient to the West. So, it does not dare even to try to reform the agreement. And, the people of FYROM are too poor and terribly disorientated by ethnic divisions and weak political consciousness. Hence, they ‘buy’ unquestionably the deceiving tale that ‘they will become Europeans’ and their economic misery will be removed.
2. Do you think that the positive vote results will lift all remaining disagreements between Greece and Macedonia? How do you see further development of bilateral relations?
There are two separate issues here. The one is the relationship between the people of the two countries. And the second is the relationship between the elites of the two countries. It would be wonderful if this agreement brought friendship between the people of the two countries.
Unfortunately, the purpose of this agreement is not this. It has been pushed upon both countries by the big Western powers in order to control the situation in the Balkans. The West (and EU and the US are in tandem in this despite their differences) is afraid of losing ground in this unstable and turbulent area. Hence, it tries to close issues in the area in order to engulf it in the EU and NATO. The Prespes agreement is part of this strategy (as is the idea of a land exchange between Serbia and Kosovo). However, the way the West tries to impose its order in practice foments national rivalries. It disregards national and popular aspects and attempts to redraw borders and relations in the way colonial officials in the past have drawn borders between countries by straight pencil lines. It is well known that this old practice did not solve but, on the contrary, aggravated national tensions. Of course, this enabled the old colonial powers to pose as arbiters. This is the game the West is playing in the Balkans. In fact, the Prespes agreement has fomented nationalist and far-right trends in both countries and actually worsened the possibility of amicable relations between the people of the two countries.
On the other hand, the elites of the two countries paly a different game. The Greek elite is stronger and Greek capital has swamped the weak economy of FYROM, despite the diplomatic tensions. The Greek elite will try to take advantage of an even more open access to FYROM (although the latter’s economy is, legally or illegally, very open to foreign capitals already). FYROM’s elite will try to ameliorate its position by linking itself closer to Western interests. However, these are the ‘little mice’ in this game. The ruler of the game and the one that will dictate who is going to win and who is going to lose is the West.
3. What consequences do you see in case of negative vote of the referendum on name change?
A ‘no’ vote would throw into disarray Western plans in the Balkan area. It won’t necessarily create more instability than that already existing. One positive aspect would be that EU’s and NATO’s grip in the area will be weakened.
4. What benefits and consequences do you see in case of Macedonia joining the EU and NATO?
I do not see any benefit from FYROM’s participation in the EU and NATO. These are imperialist organisations infamous for sowing misery and wars in their path. The participation in the EU would make the weak and already dependent FYROM economy even weaker. Greece, and the other euro-peripheral economies have a bitter taste from this participation that made their economies weaker and simple appendages of those of the euro-core economies. It is indicative that other Balkan economies connected to the EU were lucky not to participate at least in the European Monetary Union (EMU). This shielded them from grave consequences during and after the global capitalist crisis of 2008. The people of FYROM will learn probably through the hard way something that the Greek people learned similarly: the EU instead of gifts and wealth brings pain and poverty. Moreover, NATO is always the long arm of US aggression and its record is well-known. Instead of stabilization and peace it brings conflicts and war.
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201809301068460080-macedonia-referendum-sunday/
National Referendum on Macedonia Name Change to Be Held on Sunday
01:22 30.09.2018
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Referendum on name change from the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of Northern Macedonia will be held in the country on Sunday.
Almost 2 million citizens will head to the polls to answer the question «Are you in favor of European Union and NATO membership by accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?» For the results of the referendum to be valid the turnout must be at least 50 percent.
The referendum was scheduled following the signing of an agreement on renaming of the country to the Republic of North Macedonia by Macedonian and Greek foreign ministers on June 17. The document thus put an end to a 25-year dispute over the use of «Macedonia» name, which Greece has been objecting as this is also the name of one of its regions.
Referendum is Likely to Result in ‘Yes’ Vote
Macedonia’s President Gjorge Ivanov has decried an agreement that would change the country’s name calling on his compatriots to boycott the vote on the deal that takes place on September 30. At the same time, the EU enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn, delivered an impassioned speech urging the Macedonians to vote in referendum to change their country’s name to the Republic of North Macedonia.
© AP Photo / Boris Grdanoski
EU Commission: Macedonia’s Name Vote Should Be Free From Foreign Influence
Professor of Political Economy at Department of Economics in the University of Macedonia Stavros Mavroudeas told Sputnik that the pressure upon the citizens of small Macedonia for the «yes» vote exerted by both the United States and the European Union was incredible.
«I expect that the ‘yes’ will prevail in the FYROM referendum on the Prespes Lakes’ agreement … All the important EU leaders have passed from the country and pressed unbashfully for the acceptance of the agreement. The US also did the same,» Dr. Mavroudeas said.
The expert noted that in normal circumstances such actions of the Western powers would amount to blatant foreign intervention in internal affairs reminiscent of colonial powers.
Vice President of the European Parliament and head of the Greek ruling SYRIZA party’s delegation Dimitrios Papadimoulis in his comments to Sputnik expressed strong support to the «yes» vote at the referendum.
«We are strongly supporting Prime Minister Zoran Zaev’s government to that end, and we do believe that a positive outcome from the referendum would be beneficial for FYROM’s EU integration process,» Papadimoulis said.
The lawmaker also stressed big support to the great commitment that Greek and Macedonian governments have shown toward reaching a mutually beneficial agreement after more than two decades of stagnation and nationalist decline.
Dr. Mavroudeas added that there was a small possibility that voters’ participation might not be massive enough so as to legitimize the result, however, it has already been declared that in this case the deal would be put for vote in the parliament.
«Western powers are very determined to impose the agreement which puts another brick in making the Western Balkans the West’s ‘backyard,’» the expert added.
Consequences of ‘No’ Vote
© AP Photo / Boris Grdanoski
Mattis to Fly to Skopje to Show US Support for Macedonia Joining NATO – Pentagon
In early August, a group of about 30 civic associations, political parties and NGOs, led by the United Macedonia party, launched a campaign for boycotting the name deal referendum. The so-called crisis headquarters is now made up of more than 70 organizations, political parties and patriotic movements, according to the party’s president Janko Bachev.
«I would say that a negative outcome would not be the best option for FYROM, its efforts to accelerate EU integration process and deal with a number of social and economic issues,» Papadimoulis said.
In turn, Dr. Mavroudeas expressed his opinion that a ‘no’ vote would throw into disarray Western plans in the Balkan area.
«It won’t necessarily create more instability than that already existing. One positive aspect would be that EU’s and NATO’s grip in the area will be weakened,» the expert said.
Development of Greece-Macedonia Relations
Papadimoulis stressed that in case of the deal acceptance by Macedonia’s citizens a new chapter of cooperation would be opened in relations between Greece and Macedonia and both countries could work closely in good spirit to deal with all issues.
«I believe that the deal between Greece and FYROM is a good deal, one that puts forward the interests of both countries and enhances security and good neighborly relations,» the lawmaker said.
Dr. Mavroudeas noted that there was a need to separate relationships between the people of the two countries and the relationships between the elites of the two countries.
«Unfortunately, the purpose of this agreement is not this [to bring friendship between the people of the two countries]. It has been pushed upon both countries by the big Western powers in order to control the situation in the Balkans,» the expert said.
© AP Photo / Matt Dunham
Concerned About Russian ‘Mischief,’ US Defense Secretary to Visit Macedonia
He added that the EU and the US were trying to close issues in the area in order to engulf it in the EU and NATO and that the Prespes agreement is part of this strategy along with the idea of a land exchange between Serbia and Kosovo.
«In fact, the Prespes agreement has fomented nationalist and far-right trends in both countries and actually worsened the possibility of amicable relations between the people of the two countries,» Dr. Mavroudeas said.
What Will Macedonia’s EU And NATO Membership Bring
«Regional security will be strengthened, bilateral and multilateral cooperation will be advanced and the entire Balkan region could enter into a new era of enhanced cooperation,» Papadimoulis said.
The lawmaker added that political, economic, commercial synergies could multiply something important for all adjacent states.
However Dr. Mavroudeas expressed opinion of no benefit in Macedonia’s participation in the EU and NATO.
«The participation in the EU would make the weak and already dependent FYROM economy even weaker. Greece and other euro-peripheral economies have a bitter taste from this participation that made their economies weaker and simple appendages of those of the euro-core economies,» Dr. Mavroudeas said.
Way the Referendum Over Macedonia Naming Formulated Is ‘Scam in Itself’ – Author
The expert highlighted that the people of Macedonia would probably learn through the hard way something that the Greek people learned similarly, that the EU instead of gifts and wealth brings pain and poverty.
«Moreover, NATO is always the long arm of US aggression and its record is well-known. Instead of stabilization and peace it brings conflicts and war,» the expert stated.
The country’s new constitutional name will open the way for Macedonia’s accession to the European Union and NATO, which has long been blocked by Athens over concerns that the neighboring country might have territorial claims to Greece’s own region of the same name.
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