International Relations of Southeastern Europe in view of Lake Prespa : Review of the Tripoint Border Area and the 2018 Prespa Agreement

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  • プレスパ湖からみる南東欧国際関係 : 三国国境地帯としての変遷と 2018 年プレスパ協定
  • プレスパコ カラ ミル ミナミトウオウ コクサイ カンケイ : サンゴク コッキョウ チタイ ト シテ ノ ヘンセン ト 2018ネン プレスパ キョウテイ
  • プレスパコ カラ ミル ナントウオウ コクサイ カンケイ : サンゴク コッキョウ チタイ トシテノ ヘンセン ト 2018ネン プレスパ キョウテイ

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On June 17, 2018, the Greek and Macedonian foreign ministers signed a landmark agreement settling the dispute over the official use of the terms “Macedonia” and “Macedonian”. Upon entry into force of this Agreement, the constitutional name “the Republic of North Macedonia” shall be used erga omnes, and Greece agreed not to object to the Republic of North Macedonia’s NATO and EU membership and accession. This agreement is widely known as the Prespa Agreement, named after Lake Prespa where the accord was signed. Lake Prespa is shared by Greece, Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. While it was acknowledged as “the Lake of Reconciliation” after the ceremonial signing, the Prespa Agreement has brought not only positive but also negative reactions in the following months and years. In positive responses, commentators have praised the Agreement as a successful example for resolving bilateral disputes and have expressed the hope that invisible liquid borders in and around Lake Prespa would be opened to promote the economic development of the area. However, there has been resistance to the Agreement, arising from competing understandings and visions of national identity. The central research question of this paper is the historical and political anatomy of the 2018 Prespa Agreement. Following the introductory section, section II provides historical background for the reason why Lake Prespa was chosen as the signing place of the Agreement for resolving the decades-long dispute over the use of the name “Macedonia”. Section III outlines the diplomatic mediation process for the official name dispute, and discusses political problems with the Prespa Agreement that have been exposed during and after the ratification process in Greece and North Macedonia.

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