Македонски центар за меѓународна соработка - МЦМС

[Press release] MCIC conducted several surveys on issues of social interest. One of them was the viewpoints on solution of the bilateral dispute between Macedonia and Greece.

The survey show that one half of the citizens are against any change, one fourth for “dual formula”, and one fourth for one of the three other solutions. The least acceptable are the solutions for a new name for any use or agreed name for all international communications. For 15,7 % of the citizens it is not acceptable not to accept any change.

There are differences regarding the viewpoints on ethnic ground, but not on partisanship ground. No change (60.2%) and “dual formula” (28.3%) are two the most acceptable choices for the ethnic Macedonians. Jointly they amount to 88.5%. A new name (31.3%) and agreed name in international organizations (28.6%) are the two most acceptable choices of the ethnic Albanians. For the ethnic Macedonians a new name for any uses is the least acceptable choice, while for the ethnic Albanians the least acceptable choice is no change. The majority of VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, as well as the citizens, who are not followers of political parties, decided on no changes as their first best choice what reflects their viewpoints.

Increased dialogue is necessary among the two most numerous communities in Macedonia. No change is the first most acceptable choice for 60.2% of the ethnic Macedonians, while least acceptable for 40.5% of ethnic Albanians.

Northern, Vardar and Upper – unacceptable geographic adjectives/determinants for the majority of citizens. With regard to the viewpoints, the differences on ethnic and partisanship grounds are repeating.

Citizens not accepting neither of the asked adjectives/determinants (60.9%) are mostly those citizens for whom the best choice is “no change” (48.4%). This difference could be interpreted that other adjectives/determinants not given in the survey are more acceptable for the citizens. However, it is more likely that it is in correlation with the total number of citizens of 64.5% for whom first the best and second the best choice is “no change”, or with the total number of citizens of 73.4% for whom first the best choice is “no change” or “dual formula”.

The Government and Parliament of Macedonia with a mandate for decision-making, and each third citizen supports “framework format”. With regard to the need for conducting advisory referendum there is a division among citizens who are affirmative with 54.4% and citizens who are against or do not know.

The question was put to the households on a representative sample of 1,050 respondents during the survey on the field – face to face, in December 2010.The population framework of the sample was the citizens older than 18 years of age, and the criteria regarding the representativity were: sex, ethnic affiliation, age, place of residence and regions.

The field survey was conducted by the Institute of Sociological, Political and Juridical Researches (ISLPR) on behalf of the MCIC.

  Citizens’ Viewpoints on the Solution of the Bilateral Dispute between Macedonia and Greece