The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, ruled in favor of Macedonia in the case concerning Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (Macedonia v. Greece). The court ruled that Greece has breached its obligation under Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord, which specifies that Greece will not object to the admission of my country in international organizations under the temporary reference. Since 2008, Macedonia has been blocked by Greece from joining NATO and EU, which is a direct violation of the Article 11.
Here is an excerpt from today's press release issued by ICJ:
The Article 11 is the only obligation in the Interim Accord that binds Greece in some way, compared to other articles that are going in favor of its interests. Now that we proved that Greece breached it, it is against Macedonia's interests to honor this agreement. Therefore, unless Greece reasons and allows Macedonia to join NATO and EU (even if it is under its temporary reference, which the Macedonians find to be derogatory and offensive), Macedonia has no better alternative then to cancel the agreement and challenge in UN the additional conditions which were unfairly imposed to us due to diplomatic pressure from Greece during the time when my country was applying for UN membership after the breakup of Yugoslavia.
In the meantime, I really hope that the people on both sides of the border will make more relationships that will bring us all together as humans, regardless of individual beliefs, and that by exercising tolerance over our differences, we will finally conquer this black cloud which our politicians created over our countries. I wish the best of luck to citizens of Greece and Macedonia with the hope that one day there will not be any borders between us.
Link: Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (ICJ documents related to this case).
Here is an excerpt from today's press release issued by ICJ:
In the view of the Court, the evidence submitted to it demonstrates that, at the Bucharest Summit, in contravention of Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord, the Respondent manifested its objection to the Applicant’s admission to NATO, citing the fact that the difference regarding the Applicant’s name remained unresolved. The Court finds that the Respondent’s objection does not fall within the exception contained in the second clause of Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord, because that clause does not permit the Respondent to object to the Applicant’s admission to an organization based on the prospect that the Applicant is to refer to itself in such organization with its constitutional name.
The Article 11 is the only obligation in the Interim Accord that binds Greece in some way, compared to other articles that are going in favor of its interests. Now that we proved that Greece breached it, it is against Macedonia's interests to honor this agreement. Therefore, unless Greece reasons and allows Macedonia to join NATO and EU (even if it is under its temporary reference, which the Macedonians find to be derogatory and offensive), Macedonia has no better alternative then to cancel the agreement and challenge in UN the additional conditions which were unfairly imposed to us due to diplomatic pressure from Greece during the time when my country was applying for UN membership after the breakup of Yugoslavia.
In the meantime, I really hope that the people on both sides of the border will make more relationships that will bring us all together as humans, regardless of individual beliefs, and that by exercising tolerance over our differences, we will finally conquer this black cloud which our politicians created over our countries. I wish the best of luck to citizens of Greece and Macedonia with the hope that one day there will not be any borders between us.
Link: Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (ICJ documents related to this case).
