The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today was awarded with the highest decoration of the Order of “Saint Lazarus” of Jerusalem.

I consider this act of today a gesture of great recognition. Macedonia is an ancient country, a country committed to God since past times, in which true values live and are cherished, President Ivanov said today at the presentation of the decoration. President Ivanov expressed his appreciation for the commitment of the Order of “Saint Lazarus” in nurturing our common and shared values. The honor you have given me today, for me is a pledge. I will personally, as well as my country, adhere to the nurturing of this brotherhood of true friends and the values that make us real people, the Macedonian President said.

Don Carlos Gererda de Borbon from the Order of St. Lazarus, presenting the award to President Ivanov expressed satisfaction to be in Macedonia especially after the celebration of 20th anniversary of the country’s independence. By opening of our office in Macedonia, your country will be one of the most important missions in the world, Gereda de Borbon said. He reminded that the Order of St. Lazarus was established in the 11th century. We exist for 900 years and our goal is to help people in need. Our Order is old but also modern. In the 13th century we allowed women to become members so it means we are modern and before the time. From the 18th century we started to accept members from Orthodox Christians, Protestant, Catholics, and by this we are special, said Don Carlos Gererda de Borbon adding that their Order is spreading rapidly in the world from Australia, Canada, Japan, Indonesia...

President Ivanov thanked Lazar Lazarov, Ilija Dzonov, Gjoko Dinev, Petar Dzalev and other prominent members of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem in Macedonia.

The Order of "Saint Lazarus" of Jerusalem is one of the oldest orders in Christianity, having as members heads of state, governments, royalty and intellectuals from all over the world.
 

Calling for unity and calling the Museum of the Macedonian struggle for statehood and independence a museum of freedom, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov laid the original Declaration of Independence in the new facility.
 
From the House of Parliament, through the Triumph Arch and the Stone Bridge, on the day of the 20th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Macedonia, the Declaration of Independence, an important historical document, found its central place in the new museum which vividly depicts the struggle of the Macedonian people for freedom and independence.

As President Ivanov stressed in his ceremonial address, this is a museum of all ideological orientations in Macedonia stemming from the revolutionary movement, the struggle for freedom, a testimony of the crimes of some communists, socialists, revolutionaries.

This is a museum of all sons of Macedonia. This museum is a monument of the untamable march to freedom! In the museum, there are heroes and people distracted from the cause. Humanists and sinners. Notwithstanding, this museum calls for historical reconciliation and tells us to remember in order not to repeat the old mistakes. We simply can not allow the dust of oblivion to cover again the great sacrificial work of Shatev and of the numerous Macedonian patriots who were unjustly forgotten, accused and tainted, President Ivanov stressed.

According to him, the Museum of the Macedonian statehood and independence illuminates the hidden corners, the hidden periods of our history and that is why its opening is an important historical event, a symbol of unification, making it the right place for the Declaration of Independence.

”What makes us especially proud is that in all constituent documents of the Macedonian state, full inclusion of all regardless of ethnic and religious affiliation is guaranteed. Being a Macedonian implies respect for fellow citizens and inclusion of the best from the system of values of the other. This is the power of our country and of our national cause. To be a Macedonian is to be tolerant and to respect the culture and customs of the others. This was true in the past; even before Christ, as it was true in all eras and kingdoms present in this region, so it is today. That is Macedonia!“, President Ivanov said, appealing for Balkan integration into the European Union, as he said, without the Balkan peace, there is no European peace.

Never in history has a regressive policy survived. The concept of a homogeneous state, nation, cannot beat the concept of a multiethnic democracy, the president said.

After displaying the Declaration in the Museum, a few cannon volley salute were fired from the Fortress Kale in honor of the Independence Day. The Army of the Republic of Macedonia in front of the Museum saluted all the heroes who laid their lives for today’s independent Macedonian state.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov attended today the ceremonial opening of the new Airport in Skopje “Alexander the Great”, together with the Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, the Government’s economic team, the President of the Parliament Trajko Veljanoski, numerous Turkish business delegation and citizens of Republic of Macedonia.

The new airport, renewed and modernized with the most recent technological equipment according to the world highest standards by the concessioner – the Turkish company TAV, has the capacity to serve four million passengers a year.

The investment in this significant infrastructural project will support the efforts to accelerate the economic growth, attract new investments and tourists. Being the most modern airport on the Balkan and due to its strategic location, it is expected to grow into crucial Balkans transport center.
 

President of Republic of Macedonia and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Dr. Gjorge Ivanov held today a coordinative meeting with the Minister of Defense Fatmir Mesimi and the Chief of Staff of the Army of Republic of Macedonia, Lieutenant General Goranco Koteski.

The aim of this first meeting with the President, after the new appointments of Minister and Army Chief of Staff, was to coordinate on the strategic priorities and projects in the area of defense and security up until the end of the year, areas in which the President, the Minister and the chief of Staff have jurisdiction, competencies, delegations and responsibilities,
 
At the meeting future reform processes and the forthcoming transformation of the Army of Republic of Macedonia were discussed, as well as the engagement of ARM in international peacekeeping missions lead by NATO, EU and UN. The coordination regarding defense diplomacy and other ongoing issues within the Army and the Ministry of Defense were also a subject of discussion.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today paid a visit to the Municipality of Jabuka in Vojvodina, a place where the largest number of Macedonians in Serbia live. This year in Jabuka the Macedonian language has been introduced in the first grade of primary school along with a School-book in Macedonian with elements drawing from the national culture.

Following the meeting with the Macedonians in the Municipality building, the President made a public call to declare themselves Macedonians on the forthcoming census in Serbia and to continue nurturing their culture and traditions.

“The Macedonian community here is present for years, keeping alive its cultural characteristics, respecting its own language and traditions. Therefore I would like to use this opportunity of being here in Jabuka to call all Macedonians to declare freely their Macedonian origin and ethnicity on the forthcoming census, not to fall under the prejudices of the past and to express their identity. At the same time, I would like to encourage them to maintain and foster good relations with other communities, as myself and President Tadic in our personal relations. Friendship brings about mutual trust. I am confident this will have an effect on both communities – Serbs living in Macedonia and Macedonians living in Serbia, said President Ivanov.

He also visited the Primary School “Goce Delcev” attened by aproximately 500 pupils.

There is a Macedonian Association “Ilinden” in Jabuka and a Macedonian House. The signs on the local municipality building, the streets and the school are bilingual. The census form is also translated into Macedonian. The Macedonians in Serbia have formed a National Council, and are about to organize themselves in a political party which will stand for the rights of Macedonians in Serbia.

The visit to Jabuka was the last item on President Ivanov’s agenda in Serbia. Yesterday he participated in the IX UNESCO Summit of Heads of States dedicated to the contemporary art and reconciliation.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov in frames of the IX UNESCO Regional Summit of Heads of States in South-East Europe taking part today in Serbia, met the EU Commissioner Ms. Androulla Vassiliou, with whom he shared views for more intensive and wide-ranging cooperation between Republic of Macedonia as a candidate-country and the European Commission in the areas for which the commissioner is in charge – education, culture, multilingualism and youth.

At the meeting both interlocutors expressed mutual hope that soon the problems will be resolved and the conditions fulfilled for abolition of the suspension on the EU programmes “Lifelong Learning” and “Youth in Action”, imposed following the financial misuse by the former director of the National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility.

Vassiliou appealed special attention to be paid on the financial management of the Agency, which will bring benefit to Republic of Macedonia, though Macedonia is not the only country facing troubles of this kind. President Ivanov informed the Commissioner Vassiliou that the Ministry of Education and Scienceand the National Agency are working intensively on meeting the conditions for reestablishment of these programmes.

The Macedonian Head of State has introduced the “School for Young Leaders” to the Commissioner, a project which was this year organized for the second time under his auspices. He also informed her on the Law on Youth. The EC Vassiliou expressed full readiness and interest for close and deepened cooperation in the areas mentioned, highlighting the importance of involving youth in public life, an obligation coming out from the Lisbon Treaty, but also a matter to which she is personally fully devoted.  

Vassiliou has informed the President on the European Commission’s plans to increase the culture budget for about 30%, which is also an opportunity for Macedonia and the Western Balkans to carry on the efforts and the processes in the areas of culture, aiming towards economic growth.

At last President Ivanov asked for the Commissioner’s support for successful implementation of the reforms in education in Republic of Macedonia, as well as for the Strategy for integrated education.