The foreign relations of North Macedonia since its independence in 1991 have been characterized by the country's efforts to gain membership in international organizations such as NATO and the European Union and to gain international recognition under its previous constitutional name, overshadowed by a long-standing, dead-locked dispute with neighboring Greece. Greek objections to the country's name had led to it being admitted to the United Nations and several other international fora only under the provisional designation Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia until its official and erga omnes renaming to North Macedonia, a name under which it is now universally recognised.
North Macedonia became a member state of the United Nations on April 8, 1993, eighteen months after its independence from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It was referred within the UN as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", pending a resolution, to the long-running dispute about the country's name. Unusually, the country's flag was not raised at UN Headquarters when the state joined the UN.[1] It was not until after the country's flag was changed that it was raised at the UN Headquarters.[1] Other international bodies, such as the European Union,[2]European Broadcasting Union,[3] and the International Olympic Committee[4] had adopted the same naming convention. NATO also used that name in official documents but added an explanation on which member countries recognise the constitutional name.[5] A number of countries recognised the country by its former constitutional name– the Republic of Macedonia– rather than the UN reference, notably four of the five permanent UN Security Council members (the United Kingdom, the United States, China, and Russia).[6] All UN member states currently recognise North Macedonia as a sovereign state.
List of countries
List of countries which North Macedonia maintains diplomatic relations with:
The United States and North Macedonia enjoy excellent bilateral relations.[26] The United States formally recognized North Macedonia on February 8, 1994, and the two countries established full diplomatic relations on September 13, 1995. The U.S. Liaison Office was upgraded to an embassy in February 1996, and the first U.S. Ambassador to Skopje arrived in July 1996. The development of political relations between the United States and North Macedonia has ushered in a whole host of other contacts between the two states. In 2004, the United States recognized the country under its constitutional name of that time – Republic of Macedonia.
On October 12, 1993, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) established diplomatic relations with North Macedonia expressly declaring that the Government of the PRC is the sole legal government of China, and Taiwan as an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The Government of North Macedonia affirmed it would not establish any form of official relations with Taiwan.[28]
Both countries established diplomatic relations in March 1994. North Macedonia opened its first resident embassy in Tokyo in 2013 and the first resident ambassador of North Macedonia to Japan is H.E. Dr. Andrijana Cvetkovik[32]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on October 11, 1993. They enjoy friendly relations. DPRK is represented in North Macedonia through its embassy in Sofia.
Due to the concern of Greece on Macedonia naming dispute, The Republic of Korea did not establish formal diplomatic relations with Macedonia until it renamed itself "Republic of North Macedonia". Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 18, 2019.[34] South Korea is represented in North Macedonia through its embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria.[35]
Notwithstanding the above, North Macedonia and the Republic of China on Taiwan (ROC) established diplomatic relations on January 27, 1999.[37] This development increased the number of the ROC's diplomatic allies in Europe from one to two (the other being the Holy See). The PRC was opposed to this and in retaliation vetoed the UN resolution renewing the mandate of the UNPREDEP (a peacekeeping force) in North Macedonia. On April 28, 1999, North Macedonia opened an embassy in Taipei, ROC.[38] The Republic of North Macedonia and the PRC normalized their relations on June 18, 2001.[39] On the same day, the ROC severed diplomatic relations with North Macedonia.[38] In the joint communiqué between North Macedonia and People's Republic of China, North Macedonia recognized "emphatically that there is but one China in the world, that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory".[39]
Due to historical and cultural mutualities and human bonds North Macedonia and Turkey have very close and friendly relations.[40] Shortly after North Macedonia declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, Turkey was among the first countries to recognise North Macedonia's sovereignty.[41] Bilateral relations were established on August 26, 1992.[42]
North Macedonia has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul.
Turkey has an embassy in Skopje and a consulate-general in Bitola.
Recently (Aug. 2008) they signed a treaty enabling visa-free movement between the countries. Both countries support each other's ethnic minorities in cultural, political and educational aspects. During the ethnic conflict in 2001, the Albanian government did not interfere and supported a peaceful resolution. Albania had recognized Skopje under the UN provisional reference of the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia",[45][46] abbreviated as FYROM.[47] Both countries are full members of the NATO and Council of Europe. On 26 November 2019, an earthquake struck Albania. North Macedonia sent €100,000 in financial aid,[48] drones with thermal cameras, rescue teams and mechanical equipment for relief operations.[49][50] Both countries EU Accession negotiations on 24 March 2020.
On 15 January 1992, Bulgaria was the first country to officially recognize the then Republic of Macedonia. On 12 September 1992, consulates general of both countries were opened, in Sofia and Skopje respectively. On 21 December 1993, diplomatic relations at the embassy level were established between Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia.
Bulgaria–North Macedonia relations refer to the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Rules for governing good neighbourly relations were agreed between Bulgaria and North Macedonia in the Joint Declaration of February 22, 1999 and reaffirmed by a joint memorandum signed on January 22, 2008 in Sofia.[51] The governments of Bulgaria and North Macedonia signed a friendship treaty to bolster the relations between the two Balkan states in August 2017.[52] The treaty was ratified by the parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia on the 15th of and of Bulgaria on 18 January 2018.[53]
Bulgaria is the first country in the world to recognise Macedonia as an independent state.
North Macedonia and Greece have excellent economic and business relations, with Greece being the largest investor in the country. Until the Prespa Agreement (2019), the indeterminate status of North Macedonia's former name arose from a long-running dispute with Greece. The main points of the dispute were:[58]
The name: see Macedonia naming dispute, and the section Naming issue (resolved, below in this article).
The flag: the use of Vergina Sun, a Greek state symbol, on the initial national flag used between 1992 and 1995 (resolved, see below)
Constitutional issues: certain articles of the constitution that were seen as claims on Greek territory (resolved, see below).
The naming issue was "parked" in a compromise agreed at the United Nations in 1993. However, Greece refused to grant diplomatic recognition to the Republic and imposed an economic blockade that lasted until the flag and constitutional issues were resolved in 1995. The naming issue was resolved with the Prespa Agreement, signed in 2018, and entered into force in February 2019.
North Macedonia and Kosovo have very friendly and cordial neighbourly relations[citation needed] which mainly are due to the ethnic Albanian populations that live inside North Macedonia. In October 2008, North Macedonia recognized Kosovo as an independent state with plan to establish diplomatic relations. Kosovo recognized the neighbouring country under its former constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia.[62] Also in October 2008, a bilateral agreement was signed between the two countries after the border between the two was physically marked by a joint committee.[63] Kosovo and North Macedonia have signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2005 to facilitate trade opportunities, investment conditions and improve good-neighbourly relations. North Macedonia's investments are the largest in Kosovo since its independence on February 17, 2008 year.[64]
North Macedonia and Serbia traditionally have friendly relations. Serbia is a main trading partner and recognized its neighbour under its former constitutional name – Republic of Macedonia. Macedonians in Serbia are a recognized national minority, same as Serbs in North Macedonia. However, the non-recognition of the Macedonian Orthodox Church by the Serbian Orthodox Church and North Macedonia's recognition of Kosovo as an independent state are disturbing the relations of these two countries.
North Macedonia and Slovenia have very close political and economic relations. Once part of SFR Yugoslavia, the two republics declared independence in 1991 (Slovenia in June, North Macedonia in September) and recognised each other's independence on February 12, 1992.[69] Diplomatic relations between both countries were established on March 17, 1992.[42] Slovenia supports North Macedonia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, its Euro-integration and visa liberalisation.[69][70] A significant number of Slovenian investments ended up in North Macedonia. In 2007, about 70 million euros were invested.[71] In January 2009, the Macedonian prime minister Nikola Gruevski announced, that he expects more Slovenian investments in infrastructure and energy projects.[71] Over 70 Slovenian companies are present on the Macedonian market.[69]
The former flag of the former Republic of Macedonia (used from 1992 to 1995), bearing the Vergina Sun
North Macedonia's first post-independence flag caused a major controversy when it was unveiled. The use of the Vergina Sun on the flag was seen by Greece as territorial claim to the northern Greek region of Macedonia, where the golden larnax containing the symbol was unearthed in 1977 during excavations in Vergina by Greek archaeologist Manolis Andronikos.
The Vergina Sun, claimed by Greece as an exclusive state symbol, was removed from the flag under an agreement reached between the Republic of North Macedonia and Greece in September 1995. The Republic agreed to meet a number of Greek demands for changes to its national symbols and constitution, while Greece agreed to establish diplomatic relations with the Republic and end its economic blockade.[80]
Under the Prespa Agreement, North Macedonia recognised (among other Ancient Macedonian elements) the Vergina Sun as a Hellenic symbol and agreed to remove the Vergina Sun from public display in all State-owned organisations, products, logos, etc. The implementation of this clause started on August 12, 2019.[81]
Within six months following the entry into force of this Agreement, the Second Party [i.e. North Macedonia] shall review the status of monuments, public buildings and infrastructures on its territory, and insofar as they refer in any way to ancient Hellenic history and civilization constituting an integral component of the historic or cultural patrimony of the First Party, shall take appropriate corrective action to effectively address the issue and ensure respect for the said patrimony.
The Second Party [i.e. North Macedonia] shall not use again in any way and in all its forms the symbol formerly displayed on its former national flag [i.e. the Vergina Sun]. Within six months of the entry into force of this Agreement, the Second Party shall proceed to the removal of the symbol displayed on its former national flag from all public sites and public usages on its territory. Archaeological artefacts do not fall within the scope of this provision.
—Article 8, paragraph 3 of the Prespa agreement
Constitutional issue
North Macedonia's first post-independence constitution, adopted on November 17, 1991 included a number of clauses that Greece interpreted as promoting secessionist sentiment among the Slavophone population of northern Greece, and making irredentist claims on Greek territory. Article 49 of the constitution caused particular concern. It read:
(1) The Republic cares for the status and rights of those persons belonging to the Macedonian people in neighboring countries, as well as Macedonian expatriates, assists their cultural development and promotes links with them. In the exercise of this concern the Republic will not interfere in the sovereign rights of other states or in their internal affairs.
(2) The Republic cares for the cultural, economic and social rights of the citizens of the Republic abroad.[82]
The Greek government interpreted this as a licence for North Macedonia to interfere in Greek internal affairs. Given long-standing Greek sensitivities over the position of the country's minority groups, the government saw this as being the most serious of the three main issues affecting relations between the two countries; the issue of the republic's symbols, by contrast, was seen as being of much less substantive importance, even though it aroused the loudest political controversy. The Greek prime minister at the time, Constantine Mitsotakis, later commented that
What concerned me from the very first moment was not the name of the state. The problem for me was that [we should not allow] the creation of a second minority problem in the area of western [Greek] Macedonia [the first minority being the Turkish-speaking Greeks of western Thrace]. My main aim was to convince the Republic to declare that there is no Slavomacedonian minority in Greece. This was the real key of our difference with Skopje.[83]
The offending articles were removed under the 1995 agreement between the two sides.
↑ Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada (September 9, 2013). "Embassy of Canada to Serbia". GAC. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
↑ Makfax Agency United States of America congratulate President Ivanov on his inauguration and are looking forward to continuing of the excellent relations with Macedonia
↑ Trade, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and. "New Zealand Embassy". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
↑ Constantine Mitsotakis, quoted in Tom Gallagher, The Balkans in the New Millennium: in the shadow of war and peace, p. 6. Routledge, 2005. ISBN0-415-34940-0
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