Financial Times: Balkans' fragile future hinges on Macedonia agreement

According to him, changes in the airport's name and on a car trip, from what the reformist “lidership” says present hope for the Balkan region.

In his analysis, Barber considers that a deal that would close the issue of over 20 years of name would be a positive signal to other countries like Kosovo and Serbia, or to Croats, Muslims and Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Also, Barber considers that the name deal would open the doors of the EU and NATO for Macedonia, and that this country would distance it from geopolitical instability, and that it would be an obstacle to expanding its presence in the Balkans of Russia, Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Barber quoted Ali Ahmeti's statement as saying that all that has been accomplished with the 2001 agreement would be in vain unless Macedonia is joined in NATO and the EU.

However, Barber says the future of a Macedonia-Greece deal is uncertain, as Athens seeks change of constitution, while Skopje thinks of a solution in two forms, one for external use, and one for domestic use.

This stance, Barber, also bases it on the fact that there is a nationalist party in the Tsipra government, and that adds to the conservative opposition, the Orthodox Church, including Russia's attempts to undermine a possible deal, while next year's elections could raise political temperatures, and that undermines talks.

In closing for “Financial Times”, Tony Barber considers that not all EU and NATO states view Macedonia's membership as a priority, but this will be taught at the EU summit in June, and NATO in July.

He says these summits may be too premature for a Macedonia-Greece deal, and if so, then Barber hopes that NATO and the EU will resist the temptation to obstacles, as a rationale for bypassing the Macedonian issue, and that “Balkan is too fragile to allow such complacency”.