Academics Take Issue With Prespa Agreement - Letter to the Editor


To The Editor

As scholars and authors we wish to take issue with the distortion of the Prespa ‘agreement’ in some quarters, and portrayal of opponents as nationalist and extremists.

The agreement does not serve the needs of Macedonia or Greece. It shows no respect for international law, human rights and democratic principles.

An agreement trying to define political, historical and cultural boundaries between “classical Macedonia” and (would be) North Macedonia is a bizarre undertaking in the 21st century. The construction of identities is not for governments. Macedonia is subjected to arbitrary international engineering against the will of the people. With little public support a highly polarized atmosphere deepens internal divisions. The asymmetric ‘deal’ will not lessen regional tensions as only the weaker (Macedonian) side was forced to compromise, to force (North) Macedonia into NATO – itself in an identity crisis.

The deal denies constitutional sovereignty of Macedonia, with final say given to the MPs of a foreign country (Greece). The new name is intended for not only international relations but also internal legal order. The attribute Macedonian is to be erased from all official documents and public use under threat of Orwellian sanctions. History teaching is going to be decided by governmental bodies rather than by scholars.

International mismanagement continues. While supporting confidence building, conflict resolution, and reconciliation, we argue that the Prespa Agreement is not an accord that promises sustainable peace. NATO membership is unlikely to bring social and economic progress or security to the small Macedonian state; ironically, Greece offers the best proof of what international dictates do on the European periphery.




  1. Biljana Vankovska, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  2. James Pettifer, Oxford University
  3. Venko Andonovski, writer, Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  4. Milan Kundera, writer, Paris
  5. Richard Falk, Princeton University
  6. Žarko Puhovski, University of Zagreb
  7. Lidija R. Basta Fleiner, University of Fribourg
  8. Darko Mitrevski, film director, Los Angeles
  9. Georges Banu, President of the Prize of Europe for the Theatre, Paris
  10. Jan Oberg, director of Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, Lund
  11. Gorazd Rosoklija, Columbia University
  12. Josette Baer Hill, University of Zurich
  13. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  14. Jean Pavleski, Sorbonne University, founder of Éditions Economica, Paris
  15. Nada Boskovska, University of Zurich
  16. Jovan Donev, former ambassador to the United Kingdom
  17. Stefano Bianchini, University of Bologna
  18. Vladimir Unkovski-Korica, University of Glasgow
  19. Pepe Escobar, Geopolitical Analyst at Asia Times
  20. Radmila Nakarada, University of Belgrade
  21. Igor Janev, University of Belgrade
  22. Zhidas Daskalovski, Kliment Ohridski University, Bitola
  23. Nikola Popov, McMaster University, Ontario
  24. Erol Tufan, poet, Turkey
  25. Bernd Fischer, Indiana University, Fort Wayne
  26. Mitko Madzunkov, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  27. Mite Stefoski, Director of Struga Poetry Evenings
  28. Johan Galtung, founder of Transcend University
  29. Vitomir Mitevski, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  30. Jean-Patrick Connerade, University of London, former President of EuroScience
  31. Borislav Pavlovski, University of Zagreb
  32. Slavko Bogdanov, Columbia University
  33. Francis D. Raška, Anglo-American University, Prague
  34. Leonid Grcev, IEEE Fellow, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  35. Mihajlo Popovski, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  36. Miranda Vickers, Independent Scholar, UK
  37. Aleksandar Dimovski, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  38. Jean Pierre Simeon, poet, editor of Gallimard, Paris
  39. Branko Stavrev, theater director, Skopje
  40. Emilia Waters, CATS College Cambridge
  41. Jordan Plevneš, writer and former ambassador to France
  42. Zhivko Popov, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  43. Marija Risteska, Centre for Research and Policy-Making, Skopje
  44. Katica Kjulafkova, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  45. Dimitar Apasiev, Goce Delčev University, Štip
  46. Daniel Weiss, University of Zürich
  47. Victor Bivell, Publisher, Pollitecon Publications, Sydney
  48. Marko Pavlovski, writer, University of Zagreb
  49. Elka Jačeva-Ulčar, Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  50. Dragan Duško Vukotić, media specialist, Podgorica
  51. Jani Bojadzi, Film and Theater Director, Skopje
  52. Slave Gjorgjo Dimoski, poet, ex-president of the Board of Struga Poetry Evenings
  53. Todor Čepreganov, Goce Delčev University, Štip
  54. Bob Churcher, ex International Crisis Group Country Director, Kosovo
  55. Bogdan Bogdanov, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  56. Blaže Minevski, writer, Skopje
  57. Solza Grceva, Voice for Macedonia
  58. Marjan Popov, Delft University of Technology
  59. Aleksandar Shulevski, University of Amsterdam
  60. George G. Durtanosky, Latvian Christian Academy, Riga
  61. Viktor Gjamovski, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  62. Antoanela Petkovska, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  63. Irena Pavlova de Odorico, poetess, Italy
  64. Rade Siljan, writer and publisher, Skopje
  65. Sašo Kalajdžievski, University of Manitoba
  66. Aldo Kliman, poet and president of the Macedonian Cultural Forum in Croatia
  67. Milojka Kalkašlieva, judge of the Supreme Court of Macedonia (ret.)
  68. Paul Filev, Literary Translator, Melbourne
  69. Ringa Raudola, Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University
  70. Jovica Tasevski-Eternijan, poet, the Macedonian Writers’ Association
  71. Marina Mijakovska, writer, Skopje
  72. Kiril Barbareev, Goce Delčev University, Štip
  73. Blaže Risteski, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  74. Zlatko Dizdarević, former ambassador, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  75. Danilo Gligoroski, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  76. Sasho Popovski, academic painter, Skopje