New, upper, northern, Vardar, and Skopje the qualifiers of name Macedonia tabled by UN

Five names were tabled for the renaming of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) yesterday by the UN Special Representative on the FYROM naming issue, Matthew Nimetz, in New York.

The five names were reported by To Vima journalist Angelos Athanasopoulos and by the Skopje website www.MKD.mk

All of the names are spelled according to the Slavic rendition, and are as follows:

• Republika Nova Makedonija (Republic of New Macedonia)

• Republika Severna Makedonija (Republic of Northern Macedonia)

• Republika Gorna Makedonija (Republic of Upper Macedonia)

• Republika Vardarska Makedonija (Republic of Vardar Macedonia)

• Republika Makedonija (Skopje) [Republic of Macedonia (Skopje)]

The short form of the names, without the word republic preceding them, are Nova Makedonija, Severna Makedonija, Gorna Makedonija, Vardarska Makedonija και Makedonija (Skopje).

Nimetz’s proposals do not mention the issue of identity.

The proposal provides for a Slavic spelling of the country’s language, either “makedonski” or a more descriptive version, official language of the Republic of New Macedonia.

The Nimetz package also proposes that the country’s citizenship, as it will be denoted on passports and official documents, be called either “makedonski” with the Slavic rendition, or “nationality of the Republika Nova Makedonija”

It is unclear whether Nimetz will seek a constitutional amendment in Skopje that would change the name in the country’s basic law, or whether the current constitutional name of Republic of Macedonia will continue to be used domestically, even after a settlement.

Nimetz proposal provides that the new name apply for all parties, erga omnes, in FYROM’s bilateral and international relations, as Greece has demanded.