Plan B in Skopje

There was nothing unexpected about the referendum. It was clear that the government in Skopje would struggle to reach the 50 percent threshold to make the plebiscite. Also certain was that the yes vote would be in a strong lead.

The only surprise has to do with the failure of the Albanian parties included in Zoran Zaev's cabinet, primarily the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) led by Ali Ahmeti, to rally their coethnics in a number of regions across the country. There are various hypotheses why that was the case: from competition amongst the Albanian community, otherwise staunchly pro-Western minded, and desire to punish Ahmeti for the lack of interest in the name issue.

What next? The Prespa agreement is not dead, whatever its detractors say. Parliament has to vote on changing the constitution, as the referendum was non-binding. The opposition VMRO-DPMNE holds...