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We asked Sanja to say five words that describe Greece in her opinion. They are sea, positive energy, calmness, fun and politeness. "They may have cut the salaries of the Greeks but not the afternoon coffee, entertainment or going to a tavern with family and friends. This is part of their culture and that is why I think that these things cannot be changed. If they have not changed so far, after six years of recession and crisis, they will never change."

The Greek crisis in the eyes of Macedonians

"On the one hand, the Macedonians had perceived as positive the fact that the Greeks were able to organize themselves to protest against the government policies. They united not just with the help of the unions, but they themselves were able to unite. On the other hand, many people in Macedonia know how Greece worked before and they have realized that the changes are necessary. We all know the problems with large loans, huge consumption and cheap loans. We, Macedonians, are used to living with less money and it was obvious for many of us that the profligacy in Greece could not last forever. Someone must pay the bill eventually."

According to the journalist, other nations can follow the positive example of Greece, namely that the people in the country are united in the face of problems. There may be serious differences as regards topical issues but when the time comes to solve a problem, the Greeks know how to unite.

However, she does not believe that Greece will recover rapidly. "It will take time for the Greek successes story about which Antonis Samaras is speaking to materialize. Before the outbreak of the scandal with the closure of the national broadcaster ERT, I thought that the Greeks had calmed down and realized that they would not emerge without reforms. The sharp reaction caused by the closure of ERT makes me believe that turbulent times here are not over yet. The next thing is to see how long the coalition between PASOK and New Democracy will last. Meanwhile, the issue of Macedonia's name remains in the background. Greece’s priorities are still the issues of the economy, the measures imposed by the supervisory Troika and the privatizations."

Balkan pride and prejudices

"Ever since I have been living in Greece, there have been several cases in which when I say where I come from, people start telling me that they cannot talk to me or begin trying to convince me to go along with their beliefs about Macedonia’s name. This always amazes me. Here, the people often confuse journalism with the profession of a diplomat," Sanja is laughing.

She explains that her professional life is connected mainly with the political differences between the two countries. Therefore, she refuses in her private life to enter into a discussion on the same topic, especially with people who are not ready for a dialogue. According to her, it is not a matter of national pride but of common sense, that consensus on the issue of Macedonia's name is necessary.

"I have an opinion and it is that the sooner the two countries reach an agreement, the better. Some people both in Greece and in Macedonia are still going to extremes - if you are on the other side, they cannot talk to you. I find it strange. I represent my country as a person but I am neither a diplomat nor a member of the bilateral negotiating commission to solve the problem with Macedonia’s name".

"Once I was on the street, reporting on the status of Greece. While I was talking to the camera, a man stopped and asked me where I was from. When he found out that I am from Macedonia, he insisted on making a statement. He said that he was from Thessaloniki and he disagreed with Greece’s stubbornness not to recognize the name of my country. It was almost affectionate. This report was included in the news broadcast."

The journalist stresses that the delay in solving the problem has created serious gaps in the awareness of Greeks of their north-western neighbours. Her experience shows that many people in Greece think that the name of the country is Skopje rather than the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which is the temporary name of the country because of the Greek veto. "The central political line in Greece does not recognize our name and some people here do not know that even during the time of Yugoslavia, we were part of the federation under the name of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia".

She is firm that while the governments of the two countries pass the ball to each other, the Macedonian issue will not be solved. "This makes the two countries suffer. There are many Greek investments in Macedonia. Real business is already present in the country. Trade is significant too. On the other hand, the Macedonians are interested in the opportunities for tourism in Greece. After all, we are neighbours. The two countries will benefit from reaching consensus."

The future

Sanja Ristovska loves her profession and has no intention of changing it. However, she hopes that she will not always deal with the issue of Macedonia’s name and that the two countries will find a common solution. She is ready to return to Skopje or even to go to Australia if her professional commitments take her there.