Image via WikipediaFYROM is to begin to elaborate its arguments before the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, today and tomorrow and Greece this Thursday and Friday. The 15 ICJ judges, from all around the world, are expected to decide on this case within the next six months, or by the end of the year at the latest.
FYROM is apparently suing Greece at the ICJ in 2009 for blocking its accession to NATO in 2008 over its’s unresolved name dispute. FYROM says that the blockade violates the 1995 UN-brokered Interim Accord, which regulates relations between the two states.
Following the two testimonies, FYROM will then be obligated to respond to Greece’s defence and the hearing will conclude on March 30 with the final word from the Greek side.
Quoting FYROM officials, Balkan Insight said that statements of former Greek prime minister Kostas Karamanlis and former foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis from before the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest show they did not allow FYROM to join NATO because of Greek objections to the country’s name.
Greece argues that FYROM broke the 1995 accord by taking a hard line over the name issue and by stealing its history by renaming airports, highways and sport arenas after Ancient Greek heroes and symbols. “Greece will try to prove that it is not exercising any veto against FYROM joining NATO,” the Greek journalist and publicist Takis Michas told Balkan Insight, while he noted that the joint NATO communiqué issued after the 2008 Bucharest summit stated that the two countries had failed to reach a decision on FYROM’s accession and did not mention a Greek veto.
Observers say they are unsure whether an ICJ verdict in favour of FYROM would be applicable in reality. FYROM wants Greece to withdraws its objections to it’s NATO membership so that the country can join.
Established in 1945, the ICJ’s main function is to settle legal disputes between states. ICJ rulings are final and cannot be appealed. However, the court has no instruments to make countries comply with rulings.
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