Editorial: Macedonian

The Prespa Agreement between Athens and Skopje was supposed to have resolved a problem that had festered for decades.

From the start, many observers noted that even if the accord solved the name problem, it created many others because North Macedonia became a state that in all other respects remained “Macedonian”.

The rationale behind those reservations was swiftly confirmed in practice. Products of North Macedonia at international trade fairs are labeled Macedonian, creating confusion in the market.

Trade is linked to the economy, the creation of wealth, the creation of jobs, and the effort of businesses and products to become established on the global trade map.

Trade means competition and competition must be fair.

The solution is obviously not a trade war between on the one hand  businesses operating in the Greek province of Macedonia, which for decades have produced products that have become known as Macedonian, and on the other hand businesses in North Macedonia that want to exploit the brand “Macedonian”.

Abandoning Greek businesses to their own devices is certainly no solution.

The problem involving the use of the word “Macedonian” must be resolved immediately by the government, before it is too late.

It must be solved post haste because once again time is not on Greece’s side.