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Western liberal democracies believe that they are opening a new chapter in the history of their countries, a chapter they call the "New Society" - post-Christian, post-national.
“They think that if you mix different communities, say Muslims with the local Christian community, something good will come out of it. I don't think it will be good. That is why we decided that we Hungarians should not mix with other nations. It's about our country, our families, our nation, our history, our language..."
These are the words of Viktor Orbán in an interview with Tucker Carlson for "Fox News" three years ago.
Orbán has it easy: Hungary is an ethnically homogeneous, nation-state in the truest sense of the word. Their language is unique, only the Finns who live on the opposite side of the European continent are close to it. They are so special that I remember once when I tried to buy some "souvenir" they didn't understand the meaning of this international word.
Orbán also believes in creating a coalition of conservative national-Christian democracies to fend off the liberal one, which opens its doors to foreigners and promotes liberal-democratic values. He believes in "America first" because, as he says, then Hungary is also first, as it should be.
The economic support for the new government in Macedonia is part of the strengthening of the coalition of the emerging European conservative national-Christian coalition.
But let there be no doubt: the influence of such a policy in multinational Macedonia will only produce trouble and inter-ethnic confrontations. Because we are everything that Orbán does not want Hungary to become.
But didn't senior EU politicians recently declare that multiculturalism is a failed idea?
An idea? Well, multinationality and multiculturalism are a reality in many countries of Western Europe, not to mention the Balkans. How then is it possible to declare reality a failed thing? Perhaps there is something wrong with the idea, with the concept that should be aligned with reality, not the other way around.
One thing is certain: the Macedonian nation and the Macedonian state will not be protected by Orbán's recipe, but by what he is against: liberal democracy.
The problem is that tender flowers do not grow on the hard soil of the Balkans, so without political leadership that pushes forward towards integration, we "naturally" slide into new and new deep divisions.
To declare a moratorium on everything that is not a fight against corruption and a fight for economic growth, on ethnic issues (words of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski - note ed.), means to declare a moratorium on political life. A moratorium on life is something that has never worked for anyone anywhere. A politician is like a juggler with many balls. Moreover, he is required to move forward at the same time.
If there is no concentrated effort for what the previous government called "One Society for All", without any effort we will get two societies: Macedonian-Christian and Albanian-Muslim, according to Viktor Orbán's recipe.
Whether the ethnic and religious divisions will be overcome or deepened depends on the state leadership of North Macedonia.
Two nations under one political roof is a damn hard thing. We don't have a "melting pot" like in America so that everyone becomes American. We only have equality as the basis of stability and inter-ethnic understanding in the country. This is also the only way for ethnic Albanians to become political Macedonians. Do I guarantee this will happen? No, but we have a chance.
I can only guarantee that Orbán's recipe is poisonous for Macedonia. I BGNES
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Prof. Denko Maleski, First Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia
