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US officials welcome the outcome of a referendum that would allow Macedonia to become a member of NATO, despite the low voter turnout that put the bid in stalemate.
About 91 percent of Macedonian voters backed Sunday a referendum that would allow the country to join NATO and the European Union.
But the participation rate was only about 37%. Opponents, who called for a boycott of the vote, see the results as a flagrant failure, as the constitution of Macedonia requires at least 50% participation for the binding resolutions to be valid.
But the resolution was considered "consultative", non-binding. As such, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has promised to go ahead by voting in Parliament to change the name of Macedonia, which is part of an agreement reached to adhere to organizations.
"The United States welcomes the positive results of the consultative referendum organized by Macedonia, in which Macedonian citizens have accepted the Prespa agreement between Macedonia and Greece," said the Pentagon spokeswoman, Dana White, in a statement. "We strongly support the implementation of this agreement and we join the Skopje government in ultimately determining the fate of their country at this historic moment."
Under an agreement with Greece, Macedonia must change its name to become the Republic of Northern Macedonia so that Greece can lift its veto over the accession of its neighbor to the country. NATO and the EU. Greece thinks that the name of Macedonia involves the territorial control of a region of northern Greece of the same name.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis
Results of James Norman MattisMacedonia show that the name change should pave the way for NATO membership, Mattis poisons women in combat A new and more agile e-strategy has learned from past mistakes MORE Last month, he went to Macedonia to show his support for the country's bid for NATO. There, he accused Russia of trying to interfere in the elections, saying that there was "no doubt" that Moscow was funding opposition to the change of name.
"We do not want Russia to do what it has tried to do in so many other countries," Mattis told the press when traveling with him, apparently referring to the Kremlin's interference in the United States and in other elections.
Russia denied interfering in the Macedonian referendum. But he opposes the enlargement of NATO and his ambassador to Macedonia said that the country could become "a legitimate goal" if relations between NATO and Moscow continued. degrade.
After the vote, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "was watching closely and of course thought that all processes should remain within the law," according to Reuters.
In its statement on Monday, the Pentagon said that the United States "remained unshakeable" in its commitment to the "strong bilateral defense relationship" with Macedonia.
"We support our Macedonian friends as they chart their own path to achieving peace and prosperity for their people," White said.
In a separate statement, the State Department said it "welcomed the results" of the referendum in which "the citizens expressed their support for NATO membership and for the European Union ", not to mention the low participation rate.
"As the Macedonian Parliament begins the debate on constitutional changes, we urge leaders to move beyond party politics and seize this historic opportunity to secure a better future for the country as a full participant in Western institutions." Said state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert in a statement. Sunday night.
A joint statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and EU President Donald Tusk also focused on "the overwhelming majority of voters" without doing anything. state of low participation rate.
"It is now up to the politicians of Skopje to decide the way forward," they said. "The decisions they will make over the next few days and weeks will determine the fate of their country and their people for generations to come. We encourage them to seize this historic opportunity. "
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