[ALBSA-Info] Kathimerini's opinion

[Agron Alibali]

Commentary
One step from chaos

By G.G. de Lastic 
Slav-Macedonian leaders were close to declaring FYROM in a state of civil war, thereby formalizing the conflict and rendering it irreversible. Instead, and under NATO and EU pressure, they announced the formation of a national unity government by Slav-Macedonian and Albanian parties. For the time being, the prospect of an all-out war has been avoided. The political maneuver will probably generate a provisional lull. However, despite the delusions nourished by several European and American officials who hold that the formation of a coalition government marks the normalization of developments in FYROM, the situation is actually much more dramatic. Slav-Macedonians and ethnic Albanians are far from bridging their divide. Skopje has committed fatal errors, for it panicked over the obvious threat of partition and was blinded by an arrogance fueled by international support. The activities of Albanian rebels setting up ambushes and killing armed policemen or clashing with the army is one thing; but the bombing of ethnic Albanian villages by Slav-Macedonian troops and the destruction of Albanian houses and shops by mob-attack is quite another. The ties between the two ethnic groups have suffered irreparable damage. 
It is no coincidence that the armed rebellion was much more widespread this time around than the one that broke out a month ago. It included many villages with tens of thousands of inhabitants - practically in all Albanian-populated areas of FYROM. It led to the declaration of "free territories," while it proved difficult to suppress the insurgency by military means. 
Slav-Macedonians are unlikely ever to trust FYROM Albanians in the future, while ethnic Albanian citizens will have to accept that they will always be suspected of undermining the integrity of the country - meaning that they will have to live under constant surveillance. It is obvious that such a relationship is unviable, and is bound to instigate crises in the future. 
In essence, a smooth coexistence between Slav-Macedonians and ethnic Albanians is practically impossible. This means that this country will not survive as a unified state. EU and NATO pressure for a federal solution came too late to avert the final rupture.


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