Greece threatens to veto NATO expansion plans

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Greece threatens to veto NATO enlargement

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As NATO representatives meet in Bucharest for the largest summit conference in the organisation’s history the Greek government is threatening to veto any attempt by its northern neighbour, Macedonia to become a member.

Despite intense diplomatic efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution by UN special envoy, Matthew Nimitz and pressure from the USA the issue has not been resolved.  Greek foreign minister, Dora Bakoyianni has reiterated Greece's intention not to compromise in the dispute over the name by which Macedonia will be recognised in NATO.

In a rare moment of unity,  Greek political parties of all ideological stripes have backed the conservative government of Kostas Karamanlis in demanding that NATO and the European Union do not allow Macedonia membership without some change in the country’s name.

The disagreement, which has rumbled on since the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia gained independence in 1992 has put the two countries at loggerheads over the new Balkan's state official name. Greece refuses to accept the name Macedonia, arguing that it implies territorial claims over the northern Greek province of the same name.

The dispute, in which ancient history is often invoked to support both side’s claims, dates back to the break up of the Yugoslav republic in the early 90’swhen the then government of Constantinos Mitsotakis used the issue to bolster support for the conservative New Democracy party by promoting demonstrations in major Greek cities attended by hundreds of thousands. A move which helped whipped up nationalist sentiment throughout the country.

However, the policy backfired when members of Mitsotakis's (and father of current Greek foreign minister, Dora bakoyianni)own party, unhappy with the government’s handling of the affair, broke away to form Political Spring (Politiki Anoixi) under the leadership of Antonis Samaras, a former minister in the New Democracy administration. The resulting elections saw the return to power of the socialist PASOK party and New Democracy’s return to the opposition benches for over a  decade.

Mindful of the past and with only a slim parliamentary majority, the current New Democracy government is unlikely to back down in this dispute as any sign of weakness over the issue will probably see  the government’s popularity, drop even further.  In the eight months since since the party’s re-election they have been rocked by a series of on - going economic and sex scandals which have eaten away at the conservatives standing in the polls .

In addition the introduction of deeply unpopular pension reforms have added to their political woes.With voters deserting to the far right LAOS party the government can ill afford to look weak in its negotiations in Bucharest this week.

On the other hand the issue has served to divert public displeasure with the government’s poor record over issues such as education and crime. Similarly, the debate over controversial pension reforms which provoked general strikes and country wide black outs recently has dropped off the media’s radar screen and the political agenda.