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Macedonia has become a ghetto

Visa, forget about it! This is a colloquial phrase which incorporates in itself two very powerful theses. One of them is - who needs, visa, why such humiliation and being treated like an inferior citizen at the embassies? And the second one – forget it, we don’t need visas. I had a rare opportunity to work for the AEGEE-Europe executive board in Brussels (which is the biggest student organization in Europe uniting 240 academic centers in 42 countries). The last two and a half years have been a horror story of its own. Image that the president of such an association, who usually needs to be mobile and travel three times a month at least ,has to wait in front of the embassies facing a treatment equal to that of a third world country illegal immigrant. Those are the reasons why I support the project “Visa, forget about it!”

The problem with the visas is not rhetoric, but essential. Let’s put things like this: Macedonian people love talking about a corruptive system, democratic values and multiethnic tolerance. In fact, the civic sector spends millions of denars a year to raise the citizens’ awareness. Running the risk to be cursed, I will dare say that that money has been wasted. We cannot discuss the same issues for 16 years trying to change something without changing the essence of the things. How can we bring these values closer to the common people when they have been living in a reservation for 16 years? How can we present to them the values of the western democratic societies when they have been closed in a magical circle without chance of escaping from it and without any other real option of experiencing something different.

Macedonia has become a ghetto. I will allow myself to be blunt. Starting from 1 January, Macedonian people will be only able to go to Serbia without a visa (if we consider our closest neighbors). If the values of this neighboring country of hours are the values we are to see and implement in our society, then we shall be praised! On the other hand, we know what our duties are. New passports, border connection and readmission agreements. We are going to do what Romania and Bulgaria have not done (protect their citizens). What I mind is the hypocritical attitude of the European Community. Macedonia cannot be treated like a collateral damage over and over again. Obviously, it did not take much for our voice to be raised and for the EU to start reacting. Moreover, I wonder where the civic sector was in the last 16 years and why they have not done this earlier. For example: Through the network in which AEGEE-Skopje and JEF-Macedonia are members, this action was organized in more than 20 European capital cities, including the blocking of the European Commission for two days. An event without precedent – young people from over 26 countries stand for the young Macedonian people’s demands – directly and loudly. Immediately after the protest, the European Commission held an emergency meeting at which the Ministers of Foreign Affairs from the EU countries are invited to make a decision on starting the negotiations. And, running the risk to sound arrogant again – this is how things are supposed to be done; this is how it should be lobbied for the strategic interests of the country. The team that organized this campaign is no way going to stop at that point. AEGEE-Skopje, JEF-Macedonia, the High School Student Union of Macedonia, Balkan Idea, The Scout Union and the Youth Educational Forum are going to maintain their motivation and keep on lobbying until the final visa system abolishment. Anyway, we must be true to ourselves! Macedonia is expecting some serious and brave political decisions, especially regarding its national tasks. The organization team is going to do anything in their power to continue putting pressure on the national institutions. The legislation, the executive and the judicial authorities are the ones that will have to complete this. At the same time, the European Union will have to respect what will have done. The theses of illegal immigration do not hold.

If 30 million people (Romania and Bulgaria) do not present a threat to the EU, then how can we be a threat with only 2 million people? Eventually, the problem with Macedonia is that it never managed to unite itself for one central idea. Here’s a crucial one. The civic sector has never had such a chance to contribute to a serious resolution of a socio-economic problem, that is, the visa system. Everybody is to promote the thesis “Visa, forget about it!” as much as they can. The arguments why and how are more than transparent. 

 
Leon Bakraceski
(The author of this text is a former president of AEGEE Europe)