The disintegration of Yugoslavia, which began back in 1991 has so far produced seven successor states. The last one was Kosovo which declared independence on 17 February.

Back in 2003, when the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was renamed into a State Union of Serbia and Montenegro - three years later, Montenegro went its separate way, by holding a referendum on independence –the name Yugoslavia was erased from the map. Yugoslavia was effectively - no more.

Close, but not completely accurate. One of the successors of Tito’s socialist federation, still keeps memory to Yugoslavia. It is Macedonia.

In 1993, due to Greek opposition to the use of the word “Macedonia” in the name of the new Balkan republic, the UN accepted the new state into membership under the temporary name “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)”.

Fifteen years later, with the rest of Yugoslavia far forgotten, Macedonia is the last of its off-springs to hold any reference to what once was. It is still a “Yugoslav” republic. It is the last of the Yugoslavs.

But perhaps not for long.

The long -simmering dispute between Greece and Macedonia has recently entered what seems to be a possible final phase.

In the early 1990s, the name dispute delayed Macedonia’s entry into the UN. In 1994 Greece installed a complete embargo against its small northern neighbor, which lasted for 18 months and severely hurt the fragile economy of the fledgling state.

After having reached an agreement, with UN mediation, in late 1995, Greece lifted the embargo and the dispute decreased in intensity over the ensuing years. All until recently, when it exploded again.

Macedonia is expected to get an invitation to join NATO, together with two other countries from the Adriatic group, Albania and Croatia, at a forthcoming summit of the Alliance, in Bucharest in April.

Greece adamantly stated it would veto Macedonia’s entry unless the name dispute resolved first. This angers the United States, which has just led the way for a recognition of Kosovo, and wants the NATO veil of security over the region, in possible turbulences ahead.

It does not make Greece any friends in the EU either. To most countries, which do not understand the obsession with history in the Balkans, the dispute over a name - one of a kind in international relations among states – is irrational. EU Parliament just passed a resolution calling upon Greece not to block Macedonia’s international integration, as long it does it as FYROM.

The US Ambassador to Macedonia recently suggested to both countries to “grow up”.

Yet in both Greece and Macedonia, the name issue these days is (again) perceived as a matter of life or death.

Greece has always claimed that “Macedonia” is an exclusive part of its historic and cultural heritage, and that by using the name, Skopje is stealing its history and perhaps even displaying territorial pretensions.

Macedonia has always claimed that its ethnic Macedonian population has no other identity except the “Macedonian” one, and subsequently no other name.

The last escalation, which actually began by means of political decision, that of the government in Athens to use its position as a NATO member, to put an end to the name dispute, has in recent weeks set off a wave of nationalist hysteria in both Greece and Macedonia.

Recent protest for preservation of the name in the center of Macedonia’s capital Skopje, ended with an unsuccessful attempt by a group of nationalist thugs to attack the Greek Liaison Office. Luckily, the police were in place to prevent it.

Macedonian media reported a spat between Greek and Macedonian soldiers in Afghanistan. Reportedly, a Macedonian cook, prepared a traditional, “local” dish – a musaka (baked dish with meat and various vegetables) and called it “Macedonian musaka”. Greek soldiers refused to eat, saying the musaka was a “traditional Greek dish”, and protested to superiors.

Whereas both countries are ready for some concessions, they do not go far enough and compromise seems elusive, even under strong US pressure to find a solution.

In principle, there is no reason why Macedonia could not enter NATO the same way it entered the UN and other international organizations, as “former” and “Yugoslav” republic, except because Greece won’t allow it. The government in Athens hopes the time is right to apply pressure, from a position of a NATO member, and have the thing resolved favorably once and for all.

Greece says Macedonia threatens regional stability by refusing to compromise (the way Greece would want to). Macedonia says Greece is a security risk because it goes against NATO interests in the region.

Macedonia also insists the issue is essentially a bilateral one of no wider international importance. Greece claims otherwise. It says Macedonia cannot join either NATO or the EU before a solution to the name dispute has been found.

Over the past 16 years, around 120 countries, of which three permanent members of the UN Security Council (Russia, China, and the US) have recognized Macedonia by its real name.

Elsewhere may seem strange, but in the Balkans, identity, even if of baked dishes, is taken very seriously.

The same coffee in Bosnia is called “Bosniak” , “Serbian” or whatever coffee. Nobody calls it what it really is- “Turkish” coffee. Turks – who owned everything in the Balkans for a few centuries - do not seem to have a problem with it.

Italians should beware. Who ever gave them the right to call their fruit salad “Macedonia”?

Risto Karajkov*
Skopje & Bologna