"EQUIDISTANCE", SHORT OF "EQUI"...?

AIM Skopje, 5 February, 1997

The policy of "equidistance" in relations with its neighbours proved to be one of the smartest moves of the Macedonian foreign policy at the time the country was struggling to gain independence from the former Yugoslav federation. Undoubtedly, flirting with any of the neighbours at that time might have been perilous for Macedonia and would most certainly have long-term effects on relations in this stormy region. Although it is hard to believe that Macedonia did this for the sake of peace in the region, this approach was well received by all of its neighbours who, individually, would probably never tolerate someone else "getting" there first. Although it is impossible to prove, it is hard to believe that this policy is the reason why Macedonia is the only former Yugoslav republic which has avoided war and was even proclaimed "an oasis of peace" in the middle of tumultuous surroundings.

As far as this policy is concerned, it must be said that no one fully knew what it really implied, but as long as it gave the expected results that did not matter much. Still, it should be pointed out that in the beginning, when all options, including the war, were open, equidistance was presented as "equally good relations with all neighbours" irrespective of their attitude towards Macedonia. This stance, which was simultaneously promoted by the President of the Republic and the Government, met with strong resistance of the opposition, both of the Macedonian as well as the Albanian parties. The VMRO could not understand how could Bulgaria be equalized with, for example, the "northern neighbour" although the former immediately recognized the country's independence, while Serbia represented a threat! On the other hand, the Albanian parties (and not only the opposition ones) insisted on closer relations with Albania "because it is the only which recognizes the language, state and existence of the Macedonian nation", in contrast to other countries which recognize some things, while Greece recognizes nothing.

Although the Government rejected all these attacks, the practice itself proved that the authorities themselves were not far from the stands of the opposition, but that they were only smarter. Officially proceeding from the positions of "equidistance" the authorities were only buying time from their neighbours, abundantly taking advantage of the traditional "sclerosis" of informational flows on the peninsula. According to the data published recently, there is an evident "imbalance" in relations of Macedonia with its neighbours. Macedonia had signed the so called "most important agreement" on free trade only with FR Yugoslavia, while with Albania and Bulgaria this same agreement has not yet been even proposed (being a EU member, Greece is a special case).

This is even more interesting because of the fact that in comparison with the two mentioned neighbours, the FRY was the last to normalize its relations with Macedonia. However, in this case explanations of the Macedonian Government truly refute all speculations on its "pro-northern" orientation. The stagnation in the promotion of relations is explained by the stubbornness of these other neighbours. For example, Bulgaria refuses to sign an agreement which states that the agreement "was done in the Macedonian language...", and as far as Albania is concerned, it is claimed that Albania insists on Macedonia signing the agreement as "FYROM", which the Macedonian side finds unacceptable. Truth to tell, recently there has been mention of a miraculous formula discovered for Bulgaria that the agreements could be signed "in official languages...", without specifically mentioning these languages, while the case of Albania seems more complex.

Representatives of the Albanian Foreign Ministry have recently denied the claims that they insist on "FYROM" formulation saying that they have offered the signing of the agreement between "the Albanian and the Macedonian Governments",which is identical to agreements between Macedonia and members of the European Union, which gives another dimension to this entire problem.

In the spirit of its policy of equidistance, and undoubtedly on account of embittering experiences from the times of the Greek blockade of the Thessaloniki port and the UN sanctions against the FRY at that same period, the Macedonian Government insists on its strategic option - the building of the East - West corridor. However, figures on trade between neighbours clearly show that it rather prefers the North - South direction. The trade exchange during 1995 between Macedonia and Bulgaria amounted to USD 511 million (i.e. over 40 million each month), with Greece to only USD 43 million, and with the FRY USD 240 million. After Dayton, i.e. the entry into force of the Provisional Agreement between Macedonia and Greece, this exchange fundamentally changed. In the first nine months of the last year trade with Bulgaria fell to USD 103 million (8 million a month), while with the FRY it rose to USD 270 million (30 million a month, on average), with Greece to 98 million, while with Albania this exchange was constant and practically symbolic (in 1995 it amounted to USD 32 million, and in the first nine months of 1996 to 28 million).

Although the Bulgarian side did not issue any official statements, jealousy and probably the sense of "desertion" were the main reasons for more strained relations with Macedonia. And maybe there is the key of the controversy concerning the "language". On the other hand, Albania made it quite clear that it did not have anything against trade imbalance (probably aware of the fact that two economies are "strangers"), but at the same time stated its dissatisfaction with the way Macedonia was implementing the policy of "equal distance" towards its neighbours.

The reason for this is the fact that Macedonia has refused to abolish visa requirement for citizens of the two countries, despite Albanian insistence, even invoking "equidistance", which in this case it considers as "distance". This more so because Albania is the only country with which Macedonia maintains visas, although it has cancelled them with other countries (excluding Greece, which is a special case)! In this way the Macedonian Government is denying its own claims since, despite the evolution of the equidistance attitude (after its international recognition), it is no longer pursuing that policy. The point is that it is now claimed that the implementation of the policy of equidistance "mostly depends on the willingness of neighbours to be more open", which in the case of Albania is not valid, because although this country "has shown its willingness to open" Macedonia is shutting it off.

The solution to this "riddle" is very simple if the well known relations between the two states and nations are taken into consideration, especially after Macedonia won its independence, as well as the fact that Albanians live on its western borders! Albania even claims that the rejection to abolish the system of visas is the only reason for the postponement of the visit of the Albanian Prime Minister to Macedonia and consequently the signing of the already drafted agreements. That the policy of equidistance is turning into the policy of "distance" is further attested by the fact that Macedonia has refused to reduce the visa tax from USD 25 to USD 5 (as much as the Greek visa costs), implicitly revoking the well known Balkan hospitality. Judging by all, it is only a question of time when Macedonia will stop playing the "double-faced" role and finally implement what itself has proclaimed, because such foreign policy also negatively reflects on the domestic situation.

By: IBRAHIM MEHMETI