The monster of nationalism

XHABIR DERALLA

Not once have politicians in the country, both leading and marginal ones, said that they need more votes in elections or in parliament – so that they are not “blackmailed” by the “other” side.

Bringing political reconciliation in relation to integration, multiculturalism and ethnic issues – kills the reconciliation on all grounds. Politicians who sincerely believe in progress, also believe in multiculturalism and in the “One Society for All” Strategy. Let’s recall, this government strategy, essentially important for the development, and even for the survival of North Macedonia as a modern European state, was adopted at the end of October, 2018. It was a very delicate moment, just one month after the Referendum for accepting the Prespa Agreement had been conducted.

Expression of political will

In this country’s short history of independence and plural democracy, many big promises for integration of society, for accepting multiculturalism and for consistent respect for human rights and freedoms of all people and communities equally have been delivered. Not a single one of those promises was completely fulfilled, and most of them fell into oblivion the same day they were made.

This was the case until the formulation and creation of the “One Society for All” Strategy. It was that tectonic change that detached North Macedonia from the mud in which it was sinking like a powder keg and made it a real modern European state. Having grown up on the streets, forged during the civil protests for democracy, equality and freedom. In the process of creating the strategy, the government accepted the principles built in the years of the civil defiance against the regime and gave them an institutional dimension. It is the first strategy of its kind that is not imposed from outside, but an expression of political will of the creators of policies and practices and decision-makers at the highest level.

Between declarations and reality

Still, the reality is different. It’s one thing to declare and completely different to practice the concept “One Society for All”.

Like everything else in this sad Balkan context, the laws and important strategic priorities of the state are encountering resistance from lower echelons in government and parties. The backward, nationalist and anti-Western structures in the country, facilitated by autocratic regimes from known centers, are working hard against the multiculturalism in our country.

It will be boring to repeat that this area is extremely sensitive and complex. However, surprisingly easy we surrender precisely to the endlessly boring repetition of general declarations and decisive knocking on the table, accompanied with the words – it is time for action now! Like in Monty Python’s “Life of Brian”.

Short is the path

It’s a bit harder to accept a notorious fact. The self-proclaimed progressive groups, individuals, organizations and political entities, too easily and too often fall into the trap of latent nationalism, which has the capacity to quickly turn into open nationalism.

The act of shaking hands between those who had previously been enemies is great and noble, but that is only the first step. Cease of hostility is a short-term move. If there is no will, but also strategy for national and social integration, hostility is easily ignited. “One Society for All” is the answer to all those challenges, but only if it is implemented in a consistent manner and fully, and then promoted and continued.

Short is the path to hell. Even if they are well-intentioned, if they are clumsy, the attempts to bridge the differences between political parties can lead to inciting ethnic tensions. Not once has it happened, but politicians hate learning from lessons.

There is a difference

Therefore, there is a difference. For example, the proposal of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in February 2020 on forming a broad coalition that would include VMRO-DPMNE, is in essence different from the calls for Macedonian MPs to unite against the “blackmail” of political parties of Albanians.

The first case is about an idea with which all political parties would unite for the fulfillment of the Euro-Atlantic agenda, the fight against COVID-19 and in dealing with the economic impact. The second case is about deepened ethnic polarization in which one ethno-nationalism opposes another ethno-nationalism. A recipe for a disaster.

Two agendas

Negotiations between parties usually have two agendas. One is ideological-political, and the other is guided by personal and narrow party interests: for how many good positions in the government the party that is “for sale” will bargain for. Or at least that is how it’s perceived in the public. And often the dices are mixed. Smaller political parties usually want to get as much as possible power with as little as possible quality and participation in the reform processes. They present themselves to their voters as guardians of ethnic rights of one or the others.

That is our reality. Political “dialogue” has come down to bargaining for director and deputy positions in ministries and state institutions. At the expense of all ethnic communities. And always, the one who “gives” is from a bigger party and is perceived as a Macedonian one, and the one who “demands” or “takes” comes from a political party of other ethnic communities. Ultimately, this is what it looks like: Macedonians give, and the “others” only “take”.

Everyone is equal

In essence, all ethnic communities are maximally equal – they all pay for the appetites of their political representatives.

On the other hand, even though nationalists want to believe and act differently, human rights have a strong “antinationalist nature”.

No one can give something that already belongs to everyone, and that being human rights and freedoms. This is so according to the Constitution, laws and international law. There is nothing more simple than that, only the words of the laws and principles of non-discrimination need to be followed. But that is much easier to say than do!

Necessary evil?

In the Macedonian political reality, equality is lost at the “green market” of inter-party negotiations. Little is needed for the declared partnership in leading policies and fulfilling common national strategic interests.

Unfortunately, even when this is not the case, the public perception is that parties are bargaining for ethnic influence in state structures. Hence, political representatives of Albanians, Roma, Turks, Vlachs, Bosniaks and others, from partners in the government, turn into a “necessary evil” in politics. They are not perceived as partners that can contribute to creating the policies of parliamentary majorities, but are just inevitable and of course “extremely unwanted” elements in government.

Between the “blackmail” and political irreconcilability

Instead of hidden nationalism, it is upright to say with what are the Albanians blackmailing in the political negotiations, and that bothers the Macedonians. And vice versa! Relations in politics always have at least two directions.

Ethnically motivated outwitting can only contribute to deepened polarization along ethnic lines. Pre-election coalitions with the Albanians are worthless, as are various legal and administrative solutions for the ethnic communities, if there is no political will for fostering and respecting diversity, for consistent, sincere and uncompromising implementation of the “One Society for All” Strategy.

Is political worse than ethnic polarization? The “blackmail” for a director position more for the Albanians is perceived as betrayal and incomparably greater evil than “unity” with structures that have anti-democratic, nationalist, and even criminal past.

Up high, down low. Both practices corrupt and partisanize the system.

Is there a cure?

Yes, there is a cure. Its name is: One society for all. For starters, all forms of hidden or open nationalism should be discussed. There is no debate on this topic, neither in the media or among the academic public. That is not normal. The fear of opening a debate, a sincere exchange of views, of learning has to be overcome …

It is high time for the media to open their space for public condemnation of every and even the slightest form of nationalism. To abandon the concepts of the ex-Yugoslav media of the 90s.

Here, let’s start with the “easiest” – words and phrases like “blackmail”, “necessary evil”, “they too are people”, “our person will not do the job, look for theirs”, “they have nice folk music” … Because, the monster of nationalism is usually hidden behind the words and expressions.

Translation: N. Cvetkovska