In conversation with Gordana Siljanovska. The Balkan country recently renamed North Macedonia will go to the polls this weekend. Yet the name controversy is far from over.
TRT WorldA constitutional law professor, Siljanovska is also the presidential candidate for the center-right VMRO-DPMNE coalition, the largest party in North Macedonia’s parliament, although not the governing party. And if she wins, the countries first female head of state.
When asked for this interview how to refer to the country, Siljanovska replies adamantly “of course Macedonia”. Gruevski fled North Macedonia to Hungary, which granted him political asylum after he was sentenced to two years in prison for abuse of power dating back to 2012.Many of those against the name change believe that the country was coaxed by the international community to accept the deal in exchange for NATO and EU membership, both prospects previously blocked by Greece.
SDSM’s presidential candidate Stevo Pendarovski is leading the country’s accession to NATO and in 2014 ran for president, losing to the conservative incumbent and VMRO-DPMNE candidate Gjorge Ivanov.The opposing sides’ perspective on the Prespa Agreement is reflected in campaign slogans. Pendarovski’s slogan “Forward Together” aims to put the name debate to rest whereas Siljanovska’s “Justice for Macedonia – the Fatherland Calls”, leaves no doubt that they will refuse to let the issue die down.
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