Greece (Brussels Morning) In recent months, there has been an increase in diplomatic tension between Athens and Skopje. Exchanges of “threats” and “prompts” by the two Prime Ministers, political analysts and diplomats at odds. The pressure increased on journalists, the last and most serious, independent pillars of democracy, which unfortunately in both countries are considered, in the majority, inferior to the circumstances.
Journalism in both countries has become a witch hunt and the prize is the most caustic, sexiest and most toxic statement between the two sides, giving little space to moderate voices to express their point of view, their legal arguments. Of course, in cases where someone talks about good neighborliness, social and cultural similarities and reconciliation between the two populations, the young people, he/she/they is/are characterized as anti-patriotic.
Both parties accuse each other of lying, lack of trust and failure to resolve issues based on misrepresentations that would have been resolved if there had been actual cooperation and/perhaps by journalists and analysts.
A Broken Deal?
When does an agreement become void? When is trust lost and when do two peoples who supposedly solved their decades-old problems focus on what is not working and not on what would make the region a peaceful neighborhood, an example for the rest of the Balkans.
During her inauguration, the new Macedonian president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, referred to her country as “Macedonia,” which her office claimed was not an attempt to undermine the Prespa Agreement, but rather an expression of her “personal right to self-determination and self-identification.” The situation was further complicated by North Macedonia‘s prime minister-elect, VMRO-DMPNE leader Hristijan Mickoski, who praised the president’s stance as “honourable.”
In response, Athens reacted with outrage, calling the president’s swearing-in a “gross violation” of the Prespa Agreement. Greece was further angered by Mickoski’s confirmation that he shared similar views. As a result, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has threatened to reinstate Greece’s veto on North Macedonia’s EU accession talks, warning that if some believe they can disregard the agreement, their path to Europe will remain blocked.
Last month Greek PM, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, stated from Washington that Greece will not reveal its weapons at this moment. The natural question risen is what diplomatic weapons did the prime minister talk about? For pressure on Washington from the developed Greek lobby ; for the activation of mechanisms that would block funding within Europe or for the same move, but within the NATO alliance.
No one knows how this crisis based on prestige, the right to self-determination and the diplomatic/journalistic nerve of both sides will end.
Diplomatic Gaslighting
Farah Latif, a communications expert from George Washington University in the U.S. has identified the Political Gaslighting The process of political gaslighting makes use of certain techniques.
“[It] utilizes deceptive and manipulative use of information with the motivation to destabilize and disorient public opinion on political issues,”.
It has been up to journalists on both sides to introduce the diplomatic one.
According to Reporters without Frontiers, the overall environment in North Macedonia (36) remains favourable to press freedom but widespread disinformation and a lack of professionalism contribute to the decline of society’s trust in the media, which exposes independent outlets to threats and attacks. Furthermore, government officials tend to have poor and demeaning attitudes towards journalists.
Greece (88) is in an even worse condition, to be precise 52 times worse. Press freedom has suffered a systemic crisis since 2021, with scandals including wiretapping, SLAPPs, murders and convictions for spreading fake news. The population’s trust in the media has been one of the lowest in Europe for many years, so how it is expected of them to share high level of information with the public/moreover about diplomatic disputes of the higher level.
Simply put. Nobody cares. Is the news interesting enough for the public? Does it contain a dose of exaggeration? It will get the click from the average citizen of each country. Then it is what every country needs. Independent selective journalism. And I wonder, when was the last time journalists from both sides called the offices of media outlets and consulted with each other, or agreed on a common position.
