Macedonia, Greece lock horns at ICJ

Macedonia’s lawsuit against Greece has got under way at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The suit revolves around the alleged breach of an agreement signed between the two countries in 1995, where Athens pledged not to veto Skopje’s applications to join international organizations. Macedonia, Greece lock horns at ICJ Experts believe that the case could run from between three and five years. One of the two Macedonian representatives is Nikola Dimitrov, a former negotiator in the "name" dispute between the two countries, while Athens’ case is being led by Greek Ambassador to Holland Konstantinos Rallis, diplomat Giorgos Savades and Maria Tellalian, a legal expert in the Greek Foreign Ministry. Though the case could go either way, many experts in Macedonia are concerned that the whole case could prove futile, since, even in the event that Skopje wins, the ICJ has no legal mechanisms to ensure that the two countries enforce its final ruling. Ljubomir Frchkoski, a professor of international law, is one exponent of this theory. “This is just an attempt by the government to show how active it is in a situation where its representatives have utterly wrecked the entire negotiating process over the name. The truth is that this case has been doomed from the outset,“ he said. The “name“ talks have been deadlocked for over six months, since legislative elections in Macedonia. The U.S., which was formerly very keen to resolve this dispute, is now playing a much more passive role, while Europe continues to watch from the sidelines, completely ambivalent over the issue. The odds are that Athens will attempt to prolong the whole case as much as it can, while Macedonia will seek to wrap things up as soon as possible. “The period up to the ICJ’s ruling will actually be a period of international isolation for Macedonia. This case will be the card the Macedonian government will play, it will be the biggest alibi to mitigate the country’s isolation. That means that this whole apparatus has to go, otherwise Macedonia will get bogged down,“ warned Frchkoski. The Macedonian government has already stated on more than one occasion that the suit against Greece is the only logical response to Athens’ flagrant violation of its contractual obligations. It is as yet unclear what the Macedonian side’s strategy will be at The Hague, as a decision has been taken to avoid all media contact during the proceedings. However, the European Parliament’s warnings that Macedonia will fall behind the other countries in the region if it fails to resolve the dispute with Greece still stand.

Macedonia, Greece lock horns at ICJ

Experts believe that the case could run from between three and five years.

One of the two Macedonian representatives is Nikola Dimitrov, a former negotiator in the "name" dispute between the two countries, while Athens’ case is being led by Greek Ambassador to Holland Konstantinos Rallis, diplomat Giorgos Savades and Maria Tellalian, a legal expert in the Greek Foreign Ministry.

Though the case could go either way, many experts in Macedonia are concerned that the whole case could prove futile, since, even in the event that Skopje wins, the ICJ has no legal mechanisms to ensure that the two countries enforce its final ruling.

Ljubomir Frchkoski, a professor of international law, is one exponent of this theory.

“This is just an attempt by the government to show how active it is in a situation where its representatives have utterly wrecked the entire negotiating process over the name. The truth is that this case has been doomed from the outset,“ he said.

The “name“ talks have been deadlocked for over six months, since legislative elections in Macedonia.

The U.S., which was formerly very keen to resolve this dispute, is now playing a much more passive role, while Europe continues to watch from the sidelines, completely ambivalent over the issue.

The odds are that Athens will attempt to prolong the whole case as much as it can, while Macedonia will seek to wrap things up as soon as possible.

“The period up to the ICJ’s ruling will actually be a period of international isolation for Macedonia. This case will be the card the Macedonian government will play, it will be the biggest alibi to mitigate the country’s isolation. That means that this whole apparatus has to go, otherwise Macedonia will get bogged down,“ warned Frchkoski.

The Macedonian government has already stated on more than one occasion that the suit against Greece is the only logical response to Athens’ flagrant violation of its contractual obligations.

It is as yet unclear what the Macedonian side’s strategy will be at The Hague, as a decision has been taken to avoid all media contact during the proceedings.

However, the European Parliament’s warnings that Macedonia will fall behind the other countries in the region if it fails to resolve the dispute with Greece still stand.