The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today decided not to place his signature on the Decree on the promulgation of the Law on ratification of the final settlement agreement on the differences described in resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993) of the Security Council of the United Nations for the termination of validity of the 1995 interim accord, and for the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

In continuation, we are releasing the integral part of the President of the Republic of Macedonia's Letter to the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Carrying out the function President of the Republic of Macedonia, I always act responsibly and perform my rights and duties on the basis and within the framework of the Constitution, laws and interests of the Republic of Macedonia.

Therefore, on the basis of article 75 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, I have decided not to sigh the decree on the promulgation of the Law of ratification of the final settlement agreement on the differences described in resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993) of the Security Council of the United Nations for the termination of validity of the 1995 interim accord, and for the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

I have made my decision based on the following reasons:

1. I have no mandate to sign the Decree for promulgation of the Law of ratification of this agreement. One of the pillars of my politics in the electoral campaign in 2014 is that "I will not accept a change of Constitution for the eventual change of the constitutional name. I do not accept ideas of suggestions which will threaten the Macedonian national identity, especially of the Macedonian nation, Macedonian language, and the Macedonian model of coexistence." On the presidential elections, 534,910 citizens voted for my electoral program and chose me to carry out the function President of the Republic of Macedonia.

2. The agreement breaches the scope of the resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993) of the Security Council of the United Nations, because they speak of a "difference over the name of the state" and not of "differences" as this agreement states.

3. The agreement does not have a constitutional basis and is not ratified in compliance with the Constitution. According to article 118 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia international agreements which are ratified in compliance with the Constitution are part of the internal legal order.

4. The law for ratification of the agreement is not in compliance with article 51, article 118, and article 119 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia.

5. The agreement brings the Republic of Macedonia in a position of subordination and dependence on another country, that is, the Republic of Greece. According to article 308 of the criminal code of the Republic of Macedonia, "A citizen who will bring the Republic of Macedonia in a position of subordination or dependence on another state, shall be punished with imprisonment if at least five years."
The legalization of this agreement creates legal consequences which are the basis for a crime.

Dr. Gjorge Ivanov