Northern Macedonia
Tuesday 28 November 2023
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The names may have changed since Russian tycoons rallied around Boris Yeltsin in the early post-Soviet era, but there are still Russian oligarchs aplenty, and they have clout.
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We fact check six false or misleading claims by made by the Russian Foreign Ministry in its annual review of the Kremlin’s policy initiatives.
Each year, the Russian Foreign Ministry issues an annual review. Polygraph.info fact-checks six of the false or misleading claims made about cybersecurity, Syria, the United States, Latin America and the INF treaty. -
While ‘brain dead’ @NATO annual #military budget exeeds [sic] $1 trillion, #Russia spends on defence 23 times less (only $46 bln). Neretheless, [sic] #fake Russian threat is used to justify even more waste of taxpayers’ $. Good for business strategy, dangerous for intl. peace & security”
It’s no surprise that NATO’s 29 countries collectively spend more on defense than Russia alone. -
“The persecution of the SPC [Serbian Orthodox Church] in North Macedonia, as well as the latest heightened tensions and pressure on the SPC diocese in Montenegro can be interpreted as part of the wider strategy of the West to counter Orthodoxy.”
NATO is no enemy of Orthodoxy as several NATO member states are predominantly Christian Orthodox. The Orthodox churches of Montenegro and North Macedonia have been seeking independence even before the break up of Yugoslavia. -
"Can NATO bring anyone closer? History does not know any such examples. What I can see is that NATO is adding new members, who are now being pulled in by various methods.”
NATO membership is based on invitation and approval by existing member states. Countries must meet certain standards to be eligible. -
“When Montenegro and Macedonia were out of the blue dragged into NATO, the situation with Macedonia’s name was used in a brazen manner. They held a referendum organized in gross violation of the constitution, which in Macedonia requires a referendum to put forward only one question, but they put forward three: do you want to be a member of the European Union, a member of NATO, and are you ready to change the name of the country for that. In general, a fraudulent question, of course.”
The referendum on North Macedonia’s name was called according to the country's constitution. Candidates for NATO membership must apply to join the Alliance, not the other way round. Macedonia had met the criteria for NATO membership ten years before receiving an invitation. -
“The Autonomous Province of Kosovo was forcibly separated from the rest of the country under the propagandistic pretext of thwarting the allegedly unfolding ‘humanitarian disaster.' In reality NATO became a trigger for a real human tragedy, a smokescreen hiding the anti-Serb ethnic cleansing that caused over 200,000 non-Albanians to leave their homes.”
FalseNATO launched its air campaign against Yugoslavia to stop ethnic cleansing of Kosovo AlbaniansRussia’s Foreign Ministry flips the facts about NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. Serbian security forces were killing and expelling Kosovo Albanian civilians before the start of Operation Allied Force. The ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians accelerated during the NATO air strikes. -
“It’s a provocation, specifically to coerce the Russian delegation to slam the door and pull out of PACE.”
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly's letter sent to Russia and all other member states proved Slutsky’s claim was false. The letter said all PACE delegations should include at least “one member of the under-represented sex appointed as a representative.” -
“We love and are proud of President Vladimir Putin, because he is a friend of Palestine and not only Palestine, but all the people who are seeking freedom. President Putin succeeded in restoring Russia’s authority in the international arena and forced all to respect Russia.”
Independent polls show trust and respect for Russia and its president has significantly decreased globally. Under Vladimir Putin’s leadership, Russia has suppressed insurgencies in Chechnya and in Syria. Moscow has lost its membership or voting privileges in multiple international organizations. -
"Eight votes that were necessary to secure a qualified majority were ensured by …means of blackmailing, threats and bribing opposition parliament members. Three of them, purely by chance, were released from arrest on that same day. Two others, who had open cases investigated by special prosecutors, were promised freedom. Others received corrupt financial offers in exchange for 'the right vote.’ Parliament members were locked in their rooms, their cell phones were seized - this is very much in line with the spirit of European democratic practice. It is noteworthy that the U.S. ambassador was in the parliament until the end of the meeting, which leaves no doubt as to who led this process."
The Macedonian Foreign Ministry, a member of parliament and the U.S. State Department have all issued statements denying the allegations – the U.S. calling them “absurd.” The Russian claims are not backed up with evidence, however, our specific questions were not addressed. -
“The way the referendum is formulated is scam in itself… There is a strong opposition in Macedonia now; the President has said he’s against the referendum, so it will change a lot… What a lot of the Balkan countries are expecting is that by entering the European Union, they will get subsidies… I think most of them couldn’t care less about NATO, as it doesn’t have a good image over there.”
Contrary to the author’s claims, a majority of Macedonians supports Euro-Atlantic integration and joining the EU and NATO. -
Twenty eight political movements and organizations, including the largest opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, signed a memorandum on cooperation and creating a campaign headquarters for boycotting the referendum.
The position of VMRO-DPMNE regarding the referendum boycott is ambiguous, but its leadership has expressed full support for Macedonia’s bid to join NATO and the EU. However, it opposes the agreement with Greece to change Macedonia’s name, and a faction will quietly stay away.