UN mediator Matthew Nimetz said on December 12 that a solution to the so-called name dispute between Macedonia and Greece “can and should be reached next year”.

Greece objects to the use of the name "Macedonia" as it has a northern province with the same name. The longstanding conflict is blocking Macedonia's bid to join Nato and the EU, but the new government in Skopje led by the Social Democrats, which came to power at the end of May, has been vigorously trying to reach a compromise with Greece. 

Nimetz made the comment after holding a joint meeting with the negotiators from Macedonia and Greece, Vasko Naumovski and Adamantios Vassilakis, in Brussels. A day earlier, the UN mediator held separate meetings with both negotiators.

The process was re-launched after negotiations on the name dispute were halted three years ago, during the rule of the previous nationalistic VMRO-DPMNE-led government in Skopje.

“After so many years there is no new magic name that will appear from nowhere, but the solution will be found with a political will and good diplomacy,” Nimetz was cited by news agency MIA.

According to Nimetz, the political atmosphere in Skopje and Athens is much better and the talks in Brussels were held in a “good atmosphere”.

He also announced that negotiations will be intensified in the upcoming period with more meetings in New York in January, February and March.

“Certainly there are difficult issues, but we will try to solve them in the coming months,” Nimetz said.

The mediator did not propose a new name at the latest meeting. So far there have been several proposals such as Northern Macedonia, Upper, Vardarska or New Macedonia.

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said during his visit to Pristina on December 12 that he is optimistic that the solution to the name dispute can be reached with the help of the UN mediator.

In Brussels, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov said on December 12 that there are chances that 2018 will be “a real European year” for Macedonia, when the country expects to be invited to launch its long-awaited EU membership talks.