About fifty citizens today in the People’s Office in Skopje had the opportunity to meet with the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, to express their views and opinions about the overall situation in the society, as well as the problems faced in their everyday life and the manner to obtain protection or exercise of certain rights and interests.

The Macedonian President informed the citizens with the activities and the exercise of his constitutional and legal competences and thus gave his own assessments and opinions.

“All those who are elected by the citizens are in function of achieving the interests of the citizens. I always take care of what is of vital interest for them, what is their priority. All these meetings are in a way assessment of the work we do and what we accomplish and to what extent it is in the interest of the citizens, President Ivanov said.

The citizens mostly referred to the name issue, the interethnic coexistence, unemployment, but they also had a number of proposals for improvements in many social spheres.

“My perception of President Ivanov is not about a politician who mainly protect the interests to raise his rating or in the interest of his party, but he is working in the interest of his country as a patriot and really in bona fide”, pensioner Nedan Jovanovski, who used this occasion to ask President Ivanov what is the position of the foreign statesmen on the name issue with Greece and whether they understand the situation in our country.

In the reply, President Ivanov said that he uses every opportunity with the foreign statesmen to repeatedly insist on issues of our concern and the resolution of this problem. The President added that it is always necessary to stress the importance of preservation of our identity.

“I support that as well, because the President is a great proponent of our identity and therefore I urged him to continue, and that we are proud of such a president”, pensioner Jovanovski said.

After several previous attempts, Ismail Baftijari, succeeded today in meeting President Ivanov and thus asked him for an opinion on interethnic coexistence, and on the perspectives of the youth and the unemployment problem.

"I am satisfied with the answer. I saw that the President has understanding of all the problems. He replied that there are announced investments in Macedonia, which will create jobs for the citizens, and this will lead to a reduction in the unemployment. President Ivanov is personally involved and supports many youth activities, whether in the area of sports or education, and I see that he understands their problems", student Baftijari said.

President Ivanov said that the number of complaints in the past period was greater, mostly regarding the operation of the institutions, where citizens encounter problems in exercising certain rights, but at the last meetings, they increasingly present initiatives, suggestions and ideas on certain issues.

"Most often, of course, they refer to the name issue, the identity, their understanding and how it affects their lives. There are many useful initiatives for their innovations which they could not implement, whether the institutions can show interest for their innovations, some of their innovations to be applied with the opportunity to create jobs. Today we had such initiatives to raise the quality of education. Experiences were shared of people who have devoted their lifetime to education, now retired, but from their experience, gave suggestions for the benefit of all who live in Macedonia", President Ivanov said.

According to the President, with the opening of the People's Offices in Skopje, Bitola and Tetovo his commitment to proximity and direct contact with the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia was achieved. Exactly the People's Offices are one of the ways to directly hear citizens, their ideas, suggestions, initiatives and proposals.

"That was part of my election program, in order to approximate the institution President to the ordinary citizen. The day today is dedicated exactly to that, to meeting with the citizens. Assessments are positive, because the citizens feel the need to make personal contact, not only through the communicated letters, not only through the petitions, but have a desire for personal communication. It gives them personal pleasure, and is an opportunity to express their views, an opportunity to personally discuss with the head of state their views on their everyday life. I think this is a positive initiative and good practice, I see that other institutions apply, because it is, as I said at the beginning, primarily in function of the citizens in particular", the Macedonia President said.

He thanked the citizens for their presence today, saying that without their specific contribution it will not be possible to create successful and functional policies.

Today's meeting between the citizens and President Ivanov in the People's Office in Skopje, among the others, was attended by some of the members of the Komiti fan group, who presented to the President the activities they carry out, as well as the problems they face. As a token of gratitude for the understanding shown by the Macedonian President, the Komiti fan group awarded President Ivanov with a scarf  and a T-Shirt with their logo.

The People's Office in Skopje was opened in April 2010. Since its opening, it has been visited by several thousand people.