Pragmatism on the name issue
The FYROM name dispute must finally come to an end. The newly re-elected conservative administration led by Costas Karamanlis has decided to adopt a tough bargaining stance, aiming at an «honest compromise» with the tiny Balkan state, currently referred to as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). The road to a final agreement will not be easy. Key states are expected to intensify their diplomatic pressure on the government in Athens to agree to a compromise solution. Nevertheless, it’s extremely important that Greece finally reaches a settlement with the government in Skopje instead of once again deferring the problem to the indefinite future. The government must wage a battle without yielding to the temptation of ultranationalist slogans and fiery populism. When the time of compromise arrives, we must all – namely, the government, the opposition and the media – assume our share of the responsibility. The future will hold no other opportunity to solve the problem. It’s time we put on a brave, pragmatic face and accept a compound solution.
