One thing that Macedonia surely deserves is a date to launch negotiations. One thing that the EU should do is give us the date we deserve, since we have done everything needed, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, said today in Istanbul after the lecture at the Faculty of Law, Istanbul University on “The EU accession process from the perspective of democracy, human rights”. The Macedonian President said that the EU should do this so that the credibility of the European integration can gain weight and that all European standards and principles apply for Macedonian citizens. I constantly repeat that if Europe is tired of enlargement, we, in the Balkans, are tired of waiting, President Ivanov said, adding that it is responsibility of Brussels and of all those involved in this process.

Addressing MA and PhD students at the Istanbul University, the Macedonian Head of State said that the European continent is united; now the Balkans and Turkey are to be integrated. We should all adapt to the European law, President Ivanov said, adding that the enlargement process is different for every country and is becoming more complicated with the requests to meet additional criteria. Responding to a question on Macedonia’s EU integration process, President Ivanov said that the country is in a status quo. As long as some older member states abuse their position in the Union, it is considered blackmail. We are blackmailed, President Ivanov said. With the lecture at the University, the Macedonian President launched his visit to Istanbul where he is to take part at the 16th Eurasian Economic Summit, organized by the Marmara Foundation. President Ivanov tomorrow will address the opening of the Summit on “Threats and Opportunities in Eurasia” and will also address, on Thursday, the President’s session on “Uni-polar or Multi-polar world”. The Marmara Summit will be attended by representatives of 42 countries, including five presidents, four speakers of parliament, one prime minister, eight former presidents, twenty-two ministers and other prominent figures from the social and political life, NGOs and the business community. This is the fourth participation of President Ivanov at the Eurasian Economic Forum of the Marmara Foundation, which is organized every year since 1998.

Within the framework of the Istanbul summit, there will be a Women’s Session on “The Experience of Women in the Process of Modernization”, which will be attended by the wife of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Ms. Maja Ivanova. This session will also be addressed by the President of Kosovo, Ms. Atifete Jahjaga, the President of the Albanian Parliament, Jozefina Topalli, Princess Margarita of Romania, as well as the First Lady of Albania Odeta Nishani.

Marmara Foundation is a group for economic and social research, aiming to promote relations between the EU and the countries of Central Asia and the Middle East. Established in 1985 and recognized by the OSCE, through its advisory capacity represents Turkey in the UN Economic and Social Council. The Foundation is actively involved in improving regional cooperation in order to assist in maximizing the opportunities created by the process of globalization and in minimizing its negative effects.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, voted at the second round of 2013 local elections in the Republic of Macedonia in the polling station 2859 in Skopje, located in the high school Josip Broz Tito. After voting, President Ivanov said that he expects another successfully completed election process. I expect that people would cast their votes this time too, and would give greater legitimacy to those who are to take care of the local needs of the citizens in the next 4 years. Usually, after the election day, the winners celebrate, while the losers should consider the election results and prepare for the next elections because democracy is a continuous cycle of learning by participating in it, President Ivanov said, expressing hope that the elections would be conducted in the best possible manner, as it suits a candidate country for EU membership.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, and his wife, Ms. Maja Ivanova, marking the World Autism Awareness Day, today received representatives of the Macedonian Autism Scientific Association. The meeting was also attended by autistic children and their parents.

The representatives of the Association and parents briefed President Ivanov on the challenges they face in the treatment of autistic children in the Republic of Macedonia. They stressed the need for establishing a center for detection, early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of children and adults with autism.

President Ivanov with his wife Maja encouraged the representatives of the association and the parents to continue their active commitment in addressing the challenges and overcome the problems. Through campaigns to raise public awareness and support for concerned families, said President Ivanov, parents will see that they are not alone and also highlighted the need for drafting autism-related National Strategy. President Ivanov and his wife Ms. Maja Ivanova, said that they would support every initiative that will result from the association and the parents of autistic children. President Ivanov was presented the initiative to organize International Conference in Skopje with autism specialists, which was support by the President.

"In his capacity as President of the Macedonian Autism Association I would like to express my great gratitude to President Ivanov and the personnel within his cabinet, and certainly to Ms. Maja Ivanova for providing special significance of this day in the last three years. I can say that this is a day of historical importance for us. We believe that the President of the Republic of Macedonia would vastly influence the other competent institutions that, according to my opinion, in the last 20 years have done very few about the problem of autism, which is part of the public health, mental health and is a wider social problem", Vladimir Trajkovski, President of the Macedonian Autism Scientific Society said.

Trajkovski stressed the need for sub-specialization of autism special education teachers, as well as the problems in the education faced by children with autism.

"Autism as a problem is epidemic and the authorities have to take seriously the problem, because, if we start accession negotiations with the EU, one of the basic conditions will be the care for people with autism and people with disabilities", Trajkovski said.

Goran Radojev, parent of a child with autism, expressed his thankfulness for the possibility to meet President Ivanov and Ms. Maja Ivanova.

"This is a great day for Macedonia, this is a great day for autism in Macedonia, this is the biggest day for autistic children in Macedonia. Huge gratitude to President Ivanov for this meeting. When I remember when we started in 2005, what have been achieved so far is a huge step forward for all those who are concerned with the problem called autism. The National Autism Association has been established several years ago. We are active in providing the best treatments, whether behavioral or biomedical for autistic children", Radojev said and appealed to parents never to give up treating their autistic children.

National Fundraising Campaign was launched today for reconstruction and adaptation of the premises as Pediatric Emergency Room within the Children's Hospital, which will provide better and timely health protection for children, namely patients up to 18 years. As part of the ongoing campaign under the motto "Help on Time", it is needed to collect 55.000 EUR. The Emergency Room will be located on the ground floor in the hospital, at an area of 130 m².

Patron of the National Campaign is the wife of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Ms. Maja Ivanova, who stated that there is nothing more valuable and precious than the life of a child.

"There is nothing more valuable and precious than the life of a child. I believe and expect that the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia will recognize this great and noble mission and action and will give huge support, regardless of their religious, ethnic or national origin, because children are our future, they always unite us. What personally may seem like a small contribution to us is surely a priceless contribution to those it is intended for. Seconds are very important in saving a child's life in the Emergency Room", Ms. Maja Ivanova said.

"Being responsible for the future generations and driven by the maternal instinct and the need to care for our children, and, above all, for their health, I have accepted, with great pleasure, the invitation to be the patron of this great and noble mission and action. I support this initiative, with sincere thought and with great enthusiasm, faith and hope that all of us present here today will do the best for our children, for our loved ones", Ms. Ivanova said at the press conference, and also expressed gratitude for the media support.

Campaign partners are the U.S. Ambassador's wife, Ms. Mary J. Wohlers, the Dutch Ambassador, Ms. Marriet Shuurman and Clay Buttemere, representing the NGO "LinkAcross".

The Hospital Director, Ms. Aspazija Sofijanova said that the funds are intended for renovation and adaptation of the hospital premises, electrical installation, ventilation, water supply, sewage and medical gasses systems. She said it would become a small, mini, hospital where children would immediately be treated.

"The funds are to be collected at the fundraising cocktail for VIPs under the auspices of the President's wife, Ms. Maja Ivanova, which will be held on April 2nd, 2013, at the Macedonian Cultural Center, as well as with personal donations at the phone number for this campaign – 14321", Ms. Sofijanova said.

The wife of the U.S. Ambassador, Ms. Mary J. Wohlers, said that she believes it is a very valuable investment because we are all investing in the lives of all future generations in Macedonia.

"As a nurse, I am aware that a child's life can be lost very quickly and that medical help is needed on time. This Emergency Room will allow grouping and diagnosis, treatment, and sending the child home after proper care is given or his admission in the hospital. The Campaign is an opportunity for the community members to demonstrate their civic responsibility with donations", Ms. Wohlers said.

Ambassador Shuurman stressed that the society can not prosper without civic activism and that everyone is obliged to be an active citizen. The slogan of the Dutch Embassy is "You Can if You Want". She urged all citizens, companies and institutions to donate funds and get involved in the implementation of the project for reconstruction and adaptation of the premises of the first Pediatric Emergency Room in Macedonia.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, on the occasion of the Francophonie Days, today visited the French Language and Literature study group at the Department of Romance Languages and Literature at the Faculty of Philology "Blaze Koneski" - Skopje.

Accompanied by the French Ambassador, Ms. Lawrence Auеr, President Ivanov was informed about the functioning of the Department of Romance Languages, about the achieved successes, published papers, the interest to study the French language, as well as about the cooperation of this Department which includes the Spanish and Italian language and literature study groups.

The Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Slavica Veleva, expressed her gratitude to President Ivanov for the visit and said it is special honor for the students and teachers of the French Language study group that the Day of the International Organization of the Francophonie - March 20, was symbolically marked at their department.

The Macedonian President said that the Francophone values are close to the Republic of Macedonia and therefore we should nurture and affirm them. Although we are members of the Organization of the Francophonie only for 12 years, the Francophone tradition in our country has much deeper roots. At the same time, President Ivanov thanked the French Embassy and the French Cultural Center for their active role in the promotion of the French language in the Republic of Macedonia and noted that we should remain committed to its usage, which, as a language, indeed, is extremely important in the European Union.

During the visit, the Macedonian President visited the library of the Department of Romance Languages and Literature, one of the language laboratories and a dialogue of the play in French, prepared by students of the Department.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, on the day of the local elections in the Republic of Macedonia in 2013 voted in the polling station 2859 in Skopje, at the High School “Josip Broz Tito”. After voting, President Ivanov stated that he expects those who deserve the trust of the citizens to be proclaimed as winner.

This is the day when people cast their votes for those who enjoy their confidence the most; they cast their vote for those who they believe can do the best for them and their loved ones in the places where they live. I expect these elections to be conducted in the best possible manner and to congratulate the winners, the Macedonian President said after exercising his right to vote.