SKOPJE, Macedonia: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday condemned Russia鈥檚 efforts to use its money and influence to build opposition to an upcoming vote that could pave the way for Macedonia to join NATO, a move Moscow opposes.
Mattis told reporters traveling with him to Skopje that there is 鈥渘o doubt鈥� that Moscow has been funding pro-Russian groups to defeat the referendum on a name change later this month.
鈥淭hey have transferred money, and they鈥檙e also conducting broader influence campaigns,鈥� Mattis said. 鈥淲e ought to leave the Macedonian people to make up their own minds.鈥�
Macedonians will vote Sept. 30 on whether to approve the name North Macedonia in an effort to placate Greece, which has for years blocked Macedonia鈥檚 path to NATO and the European Union. But any progress toward NATO membership by the Balkan nation is strongly opposed by Russia, which doesn鈥檛 want the alliance to expand to areas formerly under Moscow鈥檚 influence.
Mattis, speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, made no mention of Russia but announced that the US plans to expand its cybersecurity cooperation with Macedonia 鈥渢o thwart malicious cyber activity that threatens our democracies.鈥�
Zaev predicted that Macedonians will vote in favor of the name change and thus the move into NATO.
鈥淭here is no other alternative for the Republic of Macedonia than the integration into NATO and the EU,鈥� he said.
Macedonia鈥檚 main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party repeated its position that 鈥渢he agreement with Greece is the worst deal signed in the Macedonia鈥檚 history.鈥�
A pro-Russian small oppositional party, Unique Macedonia, strongly criticized Mattis鈥� remarks on Moscow鈥檚 efforts to use money to influence the opposition to defeat the referendum.
Mattis is the latest in a string of international leaders visiting Macedonia to voice support for the referendum, and he鈥檚 the most senior US official to visit. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz have visited and made public endorsements of the name change, saying it鈥檚 critical in order for the country to join NATO after years of waiting.
Mattis said he and other NATO allies 鈥渟ay right up front in open press what we think.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e not passing money to people behind the scenes,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not putting together parties that we control or try to control.鈥�
Russia has already been called out for trying to influence the vote. In July, Greece expelled two Russian diplomats accused of supplying funds to protest groups opposing the name change deal. Russia denounced the expulsions as unjustified.
Greece, a member of NATO, has for years vetoed attempts by Macedonia to join NATO, complaining about the country鈥檚 name since Yugoslavia broke up in the early 1990s. Greece argues the name implies a territorial claim against the northern Greek region of Macedonia and its ancient heritage.
NATO leaders in July formally invited Macedonia to begin membership talks on the condition it wouldn鈥檛 become effective until the name change was implemented.
But there鈥檚 widespread concern about Russian impact on the vote.
鈥淭here is this influence campaign to try to buy off people and try to support pro-Russian organizations,鈥� said Laura Cooper, the US deputy assistant defense secretary for Russia and the region.
She said she couldn鈥檛 give specifics about the payoffs but said the US is aware of financial support Moscow has given to pro-Russian people and groups working to undermine the referendum.
Evelyn Farkas, an expert on the region who is a fellow with the Atlantic Council and a former Defense Department adviser, said Mattis鈥� visit to the tiny nation could help sow support for the name change.
鈥淚 think Mattis could make or break this thing by delivering a strong message to the opposition, which has been grudgingly quiet, that they need to come out in full-throated support, because they鈥檙e not going to get another chance later,鈥� Farkas said. 鈥淗e can tell them this is their last chance.鈥�
According to Cooper, the US has given Macedonia about $5 million in security assistance annually since 1991, and the total US aid since then has been about $750 million.
Mattis also met with Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov and Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska.
Ivanov, in a statement, said Macedonia鈥檚 鈥渟trategic interest and the highest goal remains accession鈥� to NATO and the European Union, which he said would contribute to prosperity for the region.
The referendum vote is non-binding, and polls indicate Macedonians will likely back the deal. But even if the turnout is below the required 50 percent, if most of the people vote 鈥測es鈥� it will give parliament and the government a mandate to proceed.
The agreement with Greece was signed in June and requires changes to the Macedonian Constitution. The final step for NATO admission is ratification by Greece鈥檚 parliament, which would vote only after Macedonia completes all necessary procedures.