The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today bestowed the Macedonian Handball Team with “Medal of Merits for Macedonia”.

“Macedonia has started the year victoriously. I am convinced that the success you have achieved will continue in all areas, not only in sports but also in economy, culture, education. Nothing succeeds like success. You have demonstrated integrity and courage, talent and strength, will and winning spirit. Such models are needed today in Macedonia, people who unite the nation. You are contemporary Macedonian heroes”, President Ivanov said at the awarding ceremony of the medals to the Macedonian Handball Team.

Macedonian handball players won the fifth place at the European Championships held in Serbia, and are qualified for the summer Olympics to be held this year in London.

”You have shown that Macedonia not only participates but wins. One thing is clear, Europe learnt of the potentials of the Macedonian handball. From today on, the European teams will be really worried before every game with Macedonian handball players”, the President said.

He told the Macedonian handball players that they are champions for us, expressing confidence that they will continue to strive to be successful and achieve even better results.

"I was there, along with thousands of our fellow countrymen to cheer for our team. On this occasion, I would like to pay tribute to all who were with you, to all Macedonian fans. Those were memorable times for us all. You have played fantastic game until the last second. Believe me, for us, you are our champions", President Ivanov stressed.

The President of the Macedonian Handball Federation, Mihajlo Mihajlovski, is confident that this will not be the last success of the Macedonian handball players.

"I am sure we can and we will qualify in Gothenburg, Sweden and will take part at the Olympics in London. We will not stop here. I expect to win the match with Austria, and in January 2013 to play at the World Championship in Spain", Mihajlovski said.

The Medals to the handball players are awarded for the promotion of the Republic of Macedonia in the world with the great results achieved in handball internationally and for outstanding contribution to the development and popularization of this sport in our country.

The Macedonian handball players awarded President Ivanov with a jersey with his name and number seven.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today had a meeting with His Royal Highness, Prince Michael of Kent and for the members of the British business delegation accompanying him during his visit to the state.

“I am pleased that recently, British companies are increasingly interested in investing in the Republic of Macedonia. This means that they recognize and properly value the comprehensive reforms”, President Ivanov said in his address.

This is confirmed, according to the President, by the company “Johnson Matthey” having its largest factory for catalysers in Europe built in the technological and industrial zone in Skopje.

“Owing to ’Johnson Matthey’, the United Kingdom today is among the top 10 trade partners of the Republic of Macedonia”, President Ivanov said, adding that following the opening of the factory, the export of the country has been significantly increased.

“We would like to see many such successful British investments, not only in industry but also in agriculture, tourism and services. I believe that one of the greatest advantages of Macedonia is the young and educated workforce which is a great outsourcing opportunity”, President Ivanov said, expressing conviction that this visit will give a new impetus to the cooperation between our two countries and our two economies.

He expressed his gratitude for the principled usage of our constitutional name in bilateral communication with the United Kingdom and the clear support for the soundness of our state policy.

“I am confident that this support will continue in future, and hopefully it will be further intensified, especially in the wake of the NATO Summit in Chicago”, President Ivanov said at today’s reception hosted in honour of the delegation led by Prince Michael of Kent.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today received Petr Vagner, Executive Director of the Visegrad Fund. Visegrad Fund is international organization based in Bratislava, which supports cooperation between the Visegrad Group countries – the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Poland and Hungary, in areas such as education, cultural exchange, youth cooperation and tourism.

At the meeting, President Ivanov and Director Vagner welcomed the initiative highlighted at the recent informal meeting of foreign ministers of Visegrad Group and Western Balkans countries (V4-WB) in Prague, for the establishment of a Fund for the South-East Europe countries, which would function in a similar way as the Fund for the Visegrad Group countries, which would contribute to better mutual knowledge and understanding among the citizens of the Balkan region.

President Ivanov stressed that it is time regional meetings to give concrete results and, in view of this, he encouraged that this initiative will be seriously considered and will be subject of discussions with other countries in the region in the coming period.

President Ivanov stressed that the future of Macedonia and of the countries in the region is in interconnection, integration and better understanding. In this regard, President Ivanov assessed that the continuation of Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration remains our strategic goal that will contribute to stability and prosperity in the region.

President Ivanov stressed that he highly appreciates the support by the four countries of the Visegrad Group to the integration of the Republic of Macedonia in NATO and the European Union.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today visited the pharmaceutical company “Alkaloid JSC Skopje” and was acknowledged with the manufacturing capacities and programs, with the company’s strategy and results achieved.

Following the tour of the manufacturing facilities, laboratories and the Quality Control Centre, along with the Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia, Cui Zhiwei, President Ivanov said that the company “Alkaloid” is really a success story in Macedonia, which meets the highest standards for the most demanding markets, proving that as a country we are working on improving the potentials and capacities in accordance with the foreign market demands.

”I can only congratulate the team led by Mr. Mukaetov, team that has succeeded in maintaining those standards and in offering products for all foreign markets. We took this opportunity to present all this to the Chinese Ambassador, to inform him of the pharmaceutical industry potential in Macedonia and of the export possibilities and the trade exchange between the two countries”, President Ivanov said.

The Chinese Ambassador, Cui Zhiwei, said he was impressed by what he saw today, especially the company’s potentials in the part of herbs and teas, and that he will do all his best to intensify the cooperation between Macedonia and China.

“We had the opportunity to show that Macedonia has the potential for development, progress and for achieving better results. At this point, we are still in a stage of monitoring the situation there because it’s a large and complex market, where every city has over one million inhabitants, its own philosophy of operation and economic performance. However, Macedonia has herbs and teas which China does not have”, the director of “Alkaloid”, Zivko Mukaetov, stressed.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today in Ohrid, in honor of the celebration of the great Christian holiday - Epiphany, attended the solemn event of throwing the cross into the waters of the Ohrid Lake.

President Ivanov, congratulating Epiphany to all citizens, noted that this holiday brings happiness and prosperity not only for those who catch the cross, but for everyone else.

”It’s great to be here, among these people, when we are filled with a positive energy. These holidays unite and bring all people together. You see, there are no differences, we are all here to celebrate and congratulate each other successes, for the successes unite us, as memories do”, President Ivanov said, adding that the act of throwing the cross into the waters of the Ohrid Lake, today, as well as throughout the years, was really marvelous.

He added that the restoration and preservation of this tradition in our people on the occasion of the Epiphany is a symbol of a new life, of the appearance of God. “So many people gathered to greet the one who caught the cross and to wish him all the best in the year to come is really marvelous”, the President said.

For the fifth time, in the sacred waters of the Ohrid Lake, Mitko Topencharov from Varosh caught the cross. He wished all believers happiness, health, welfare and peace. "We have grown up with this tradition. We have been doing this since we were very young. We cherish this tradition since we were 12 years old, especially here in old town", Topencharov said, being this his 22 time to swim in the waters of the Ohrid Lake on this day.

President Ivanov presented Topencharov a valuable icon of the patron of Ohrid "St.. Clement", made by the old masters in the monastery Zrze.

The act of throwing the cross and the sanctification of the waters of the Ohrid Lake marks the day when St. John the Baptist christened Jesus Christ in the river Jordan. This holiday is celebrated since the second century, and this act of catching the cross marks the union of the man with Christ. It is believed that the one who would catch the cross will be blessed with happiness, health and welfare throughout the whole year.

This solemn act of sanctification of the waters of the Ohrid Lake and throwing of the cross, was attended today by tens of thousands of Orthodox believers from Ohrid and from other parts of Macedonia and visitors from abroad. The sanctification ceremony of the waters of the Ohrid Lake was led by Metropolitan of Debar and Kicevo, Timotej.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today received the President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Professor Felix Unger, who is paying a visit to the country.

At the meeting, Professor Unger handed over to President Ivanov the official invitation and program for the inauguration ceremony of the President as patron, protector of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA), being the main objectives of his visit to Macedonia. The solemn plenary session of EASA on this occasion will be held in March in Salzburg.

As patron of EASA, the President assumes the obligation to be a sponsor of events and conferences, which in the period ahead will be initiated and organized in Macedonia. President Ivanov expressed his gratitude for the honor given, which also is a great honor for the Republic of Macedonia, adding that with a special dedication he will do everything in his capacity to be a true protector of the arts and sciences in his country.

Among the patrons of the Academy are the Spanish King Juan Carlos de Borbon, the Austrian President Heinz Fischer, the Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic, the Slovenian President Danilo Turk, Prince Philippe of Belgium, the German President Christian Wulff and the Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

At the working lunch, attended by some of the Macedonian academicians, Cooperation Agreement was signed between the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the EASA for several events which will be jointly organized, which will intensify cooperation with other international organizations, cultural and educational institutions in the country.

The President expressed satisfaction with the current cooperation between the Macedonian Academy and the European Academy, including the fact that nine academicians from Macedonia are currently members of the EASA.

Academician Unger informed the President and conveyed some of his impressions from the meetings he had during his visit, namely, with the Minister of Education and Science, Panche Kralev, and with the leadership of the Medical Faculty, as well as for the open opportunities for further mutual cooperation.

The President was informed about the programs of the University "Alma Mater Europea" founded in 2010 by the European Academy, where, apart from the regular studies, there are summer programs, and it was discussed to initiate a greater cooperation and exchange with President Ivanov's School for Young Leaders.