New Name, Old Worries: North Macedonia Holds Presidential Vote

Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Apr, 2019 ) :North Macedonia holds the first round of its presidential election on Sunday, the country's first vote under a new name as it struggles with enduring economic problems, cronyism and corruption.

The vote for the largely ceremonial post comes less than three months after a deal with Athens on Skopje's name change came into force, ending a decades-long identity dispute between the neighbours.

The spat was sparked by the country's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, when it declared that it wanted to be called Macedonia, over the objections of Greece, which has a northern province of the same name.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras last June reached a deal to add "North" to Macedonia's name, ending the 27-year dispute.

The agreement was finalised in January after a long political battle and fierce opposition from nationalists on both sides of the border.

In exchange for the name change, Athens said it would stop thwarting North Macedonia's bid to join NATO and the European Union.

While European leaders celebrated the name deal, ordinary people struggle to share their enthusiasm.

Skopje hopes to open accession talks with the EU in June -- but analysts say the country's 1.8 million-strong electorate are more concerned with bread-and-butter issues.

"I hear only about NATO, the European Union and this name story," sighed Vera Smajlovska, a Skopje hairdresser.

"No one cares about the way people live. They care only about power, what remains to be grabbed in this poor country," the 47-year-old told AFP.

The average monthly salary in North Macedonia is 400 Euros ($450), and the official unemployment rate exceeds 20 percent, according to the national statistics agency.