Keywords
Macedonian issue
United Nations
Greece
Republic of Macedonia
FYROM
How to Cite
Abstract
After declaring independence in 1991, the Republic of Macedonia faced the need to confirm its statehood on the international stage. However, despite meeting all the criteria for statehood, Greek actions meant that Macedonia faced unprecedented pressure and obstacles, and the process of international recognition dragged on for years. According to the Greek perspective, the name, flag, and the constitution of Macedonia represented a potential threat to the territorial integrity of Greece. Consequently, Greece denied the new state the right to its national symbols, and employed all available means to prevent the international recognition of Macedonia and its membership in international organizations. This article employs an analitycal approach to examine the process of the Republic of Macedonia's admission to the UN. In the initial section of the text, the authors present Macedonia's efforts to achieve international recognition within the European Community. The initial measures undertaken in this forum were a consequence of a consensus within the international system that the Macedonian issue should be resolved by European countries. However, despite the fact that the Republic of Macedonia met all the criteria for international recognition, it was delayed for political reasons. The authors then proceed to analyze the process of admitting the Republic of Macedonia to the UN. The procedure, characterized by the dispute with Greece, exhibited numerous deviations from standard procedures and accepted norms. The authors contend that while the UN's actions broke the political deadlock, they were in violation of the principles outlined in of the United Nations Charter. The precedents illustrated the UN's inconsistent approach in contentious situations.
Funding
This publication was financed by the Faculty of International and Political Studies as part of the Strategic Programme Initiative of Excellence at the Jagiellonian University.
References
Državen Arhiv na Republika Severna Makedonija (DARSM) [Државен Архив на Република Северна Македонија (ДАРСМ)], kolekcja 1386, dział 801, nr 08–1427; 8–525; 08–981; 08–1289; 08–1427; 08–1561; 08–2585; 08–2951.
Amandmani I I II na Ustavot na Republika Makedonija [w:] “Služben vesnik na Republika Makedonija” [Амандмани I и II на Уставот на Република Македонија [w:] „Службен весник на Република Македонија”], t. 48, nr 1, 10.01.1992, s. 1.
Declaration on the former Yugoslavia. Conclusions of the European Council 26/27 June 1992, 92/254, 27.06.1992, „European Political Cooperation Documentation Bulletin” 1992, t. 8, s. 213, http://aei.pitt.edu/36872/1/A2881.pdf [dostęp: 1.09.2025].
Edinstvena prečka e povtorno Grcija, „Nowa Makedonija”, 3.05.1992, s. 1 [Единствена пречка е повторно Грција, Нова Македонија”, 3.05.1992, c. 1].
Extraordinary EPC Ministerial Meeting, Brussels, Declaration on the Guidelines on the recognition of new states in Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union, 16.12.1991, Annex II, https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n91/497/20/pdf/n9149720.pdf [dostęp: 20.08.2025].
Extraordinary EPC Ministerial Meeting, Brussels, Declaration on Yugoslavia, 16.12.1991, „British Yearbook of International Law” 1991, s. 560–561.
Final Agreement for the Settlement of the Differences as Described in the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the Termination of the Interim Accord of 1995, and the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Parties, 17.06.2018, https://www.mfa.gr/images/docs/eidikathemata/agreement.pdf [dostęp: 7.09.2025].
George W. Bush Joint Statement with Prime Minister John Major of the United Kingdom on the Former Yugoslavia, 20.12.1992, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/joint-statement-with-prime-minister-john-major-the-united-kingdomthe-former-yugoslavia [dostęp: 1.09.2025].
International Court of Justice, Advisory opinion, 28.05.1948, https://www.icjcij.org/index.php/node/103739 [dostęp: 6.09.2025].
International Court of Justice, Memorial of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, case concerning the application of Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (FYROM v. Greece), the Hague 2009, s. 27.
Letter dated 25 January 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, S/25158, s. 3, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/158388?ln=en&v=pdf [dostęp: 05.09.2025].
Letter dated 6 April 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, S/25543, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/165304?ln=en&v=pdf [dostęp: 1.09.2025].
Letter dated 25 January 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, S/25158, s. 3, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/158388?ln=en&v=pdf [dostęp: 05.09.2025].
Note by the President of the UN Security Council, S/25541, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/165305?ln=en&v=pdf [dostęp: 1.09.2025].
Statement by the Presidency of the European Community on the recognition of Yugoslav Republics, 9/92, 15.01.1992, „European Political Cooperation Documentation Bulletin” 1992, t. 8, s. 71, http://aei.pitt.edu/36872/1/A2881.pdf [dostęp: 1.09.2025]
Statement on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by an Informal Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs in Guimaraes on 1 and 2 May 1992, 92/164, 4.05.1992, „European Political Cooperation Documentation Bulletin” 1992, t. 8, s. 213, http://aei.pitt.edu/36872/1/A2881.pdf [dostęp: 01.09.2025].
Statement on United States Recognition of the Former Yugoslav Republics, 7.04.1992, http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/papers/1992/92040705.html [dostęp: 1.09.2025].
Stenografski Beleški od Četvrtoto prodolženie na Pedeset I pettata sednica na Sobranieto na Republika Makedonija, održana na 16 fevruari 1993 godina [Стенографски белешки од Четвртото продолжение на Педесет и петтата седница на Собранието на Република Македонија, 16.02.1993, https://www.sobranie.mk/WBStorage/Files/55sednica4prod16fev93god.pdf [dostęp: 1.09.2025].
United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 47/225, 8.04.1993, https://docs.un.org/en/A/RES/47/225 [dostęp: 6.09.2025].
United Nations Security Council, Report of the Committee on the Admission of New Members Concerning the Application of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for Admission to Membership in the United Nations, S/25544, 7.04.1993, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/165325?ln=zh_CN&v=pdf [dostęp: 6.09.2025].
United Nations Security Council, Resolution 817, S/RES/817, 7.04.1993, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/164660?v=pdf [dostęp: 6.09.2025].
United Nations Security Council, Resolution 845, 18.06.1993, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/168082?v=pdf [dostęp: 7.09.2025].
Yugoslavia Peace Conference, Arbitration Commission, opinion No. 6, 11.01.1992, “International Legal Materials” 1992, t. 21, nr 6, s. 1507–1511.
Gligorov K., Makedonija e se što imame, Skopje 2001 [Глигоров K., Македонија е сé што имаме, Скопје 2001].
Maleski D., Bebeto od katran. Makedonija wo megjunarodnite odnosi (1991–1993), Skopje 2012 [Малески Д., Бебето од катран: Македонија во меѓународните односи: (1991–1993), Скопје 2012].
Owen D., Balkan Odyssey, New York 1995.
Skylakakīs T., Sto onoma tīs Makedonias, Athīna 1995 [Σκυλακάκης Θ., Στο όνομα της Μακεδονίας, Αθηνα 1995].
Adamczyk A., Karadzoski M., Wyzwanie dla tożsamości międzynarodowej Macedonii - greckomacedoński spór o nazwę państwa, “Rocznik Instytutu Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej” 2019, t. 17, z. 1, s. 338–339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36874/RIESW.2019.1.16
Danforth L. M., The Macedonian conflict: ethnic nationalism in a transnational world, Princeton 1995. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691221717
Janev I., Responsibility of the United Nations for Macedonia’s accession to the UN, “Romanian Journal of Political Science” 2006, nr 1, s. 12–13.
Korzeniewska-Wiszniewska M., Serbowie jako mniejszość w warunkach transformacji politycznej w państwach byłej Jugosławii 1995–2016, Kraków 2017.
Neofotistos V., Macedonia and identity politics after the Prespa Agreement, Londyn 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367808761
Sievers L., Daws S., The Procedure of the UN Security Council, fourth edition, Oxford 2014, s. 421–422. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199685295.001.0001
Sokalski J. H., An ounce of prevention: Macedonia and the UN experience in preventive diplomacy, Washington 2003.
Stawowy-Kawka I., Albańczycy w Macedonii 1944–2001, Kraków 2014.
Stawowy-Kawka I., Republika Macedonii i Macedończycy w greckiej polityce po 1991 r. [w:] Macedoński dyskurs niepodległościowy. Historia–kultura–literatura–język–media, red. I. Stawowy-Kawka, M. Kawka, Kraków 2011, s. 203–212.
Woźnica R., Miejsce Macedonii w polityce zagranicznej Bułgarii po 1991 roku [w:] Macedoński dyskurs niepodległościowy. Historia–kultura–literatura–język–media, red. I. Stawowy-Kawka, M. Kawka, Kraków 2011, s. 233–242.
Woźnica R., Działalność Komisji Badintera w kontekście uznania państw powstałych po rozpadzie Socjalistycznej Federacyjnej Republiki Jugosławii, „Politeja” 2025, t. 22, nr 2, s. 255–274.
Zahariadis N., Greek policy toward the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1991–1995, “Journal of Modern Greek Studies” 1996, t. 14, nr 2, s. 303–327. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/mgs.1996.0027
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Rafał Woźnica, Cezary Krata
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
- The Author hereby warrants that he/she is the owner of all the copyright and other intellectual property rights in the Work and that, within the scope of the present Agreement, the paper does not infringe the legal rights of another person.The owner of the copyright work also warrants that he/she is the sole and original creator thereof and that is not bound by any legal constraints in regard to the use or sale of the work.
- The Author grants the Purchaser non-exclusive and free of charge license to unlimited use worldwide over an unspecified period of time in the following areas of exploitation:
2.1. production of multiple copies of the Work produced according to the specific application of a given technology, including printing, reproduction of graphics through mechanical or electrical means (reprography) and digital technology;
2.2. marketing authorisation, loan or lease of the original or copies thereof;
2.3. public performance, public performance in the broadcast, video screening, media enhancements as well as broadcasting and rebroadcasting, made available to the public in such a way that members of the public may access the Work from a place and at a time individually chosen by them;
2.4. inclusion of the Work into a collective work (i.e. with a number of contributions);
2.5. inclusion of the Work in the electronic version to be offered on an electronic platform, or any other conceivable introduction of the Work in its electronic version to the Internet;
2.6. dissemination of electronic versions of the Work in its electronic version online, in a collective work or independently;
2.7. making the Work in the electronic version available to the public in such a way that members of the public may access the Work from a place and at a time individually chosen by them, in particular by making it accessible via the Internet, Intranet, Extranet;
2.8. making the Work available according to appropriate license pattern Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) as well as another language version of this license or any later version published by Creative Commons. - The Author grants the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan permission to:
3.1. reproduce a single copy (print or download) and royalty-free use and disposal of rights to compilations of the Work and these compilations.
3.2. send metadata files related to the Work, including to commercial and non-commercial journal-indexing databases. - The Author declares that, on the basis of the license granted in the present Agreement, the Purchaser is entitled and obliged to allow third parties to obtain further licenses (sublicenses) to the Work and to other materials, including derivatives thereof or compilations made based on or including the Work, whereas the provisions of such sub-licenses will be the same as with the attributed license pattern Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) or another language version of this license, or any later version of this license published by Creative Commons. Thereby, the Author entitles all interested parties to use the work, for non-commercial purposes only, under the following conditions:
4.1. acknowledgment of authorship, i.e. observing the obligation to provide, along with the distributed work, information about the author, title, source (link to the original Work, DOI) and of the license itself.
4.2. the derivatives of the Work are subject to the same conditions, i.e. they may be published only based on a licence which would be identical to the one granting access to the original Work. - The University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań is obliged to
5.1. make the Work available to the public in such a way that members of the public may access the Work from a place and at a time individually chosen by them, without any technological constraints;
5.2. appropriately inform members of the public to whom the Work is to be made available about sublicenses in such a way as to ensure that all parties are properly informed (appropriate informing messages).
Other provisions
- The University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań hereby preserves the copyright to the journal as a whole (layout/stylesheet, graphics, cover design, logo etc.)