Marking May 9, Europe Day and Victory Day over Fascism, today, in the Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, a panel discussion on the "EU – From an idea to a Common Future" was held. Participants at the discussion, besides the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, were the Head of the Mission of the European Union in Macedonia, Ambassador Aivo Orav, Prof. Veton Latifi from the South East Europe University, and Prof. Ivan Damjanovski from the "Justinian Primus" Law Faculty in Skopje. Moderator of the panel was Prof. Dimitar Mircev.

We are committed and concerned about the future of the EU and want to contribute our continent to live in peace and prosperity. To contribute with our experience and knowledge to develop the European idea and maintain peace, as there is nothing more sublime than peace, was the message of President Gjorge Ivanov at today's panel discussion. Europe, stressed President Ivanov, primarily means peace, and the EU is the biggest peace project in the history of mankind. According to him, the EU is a model for the future, the only project that is changing as it evolves and adapts to the present circumstances. With the emergence of the first crises, Europe is learning and adapting. EU, as the Macedonian president said, is facing huge challenges, but it still remains a project for the future.

Macedonia, from the very beginning of independence, confirmed that strategic objectives are EU and NATO membership. We often say that we are in a way oppressed because we are a candidate and waiting for too long to start negotiations for EU membership. The reforms undertaken and recommendations received are, indeed, a result of the harmonization of our society and citizens to the European standards, principles and criteria, President Ivanov said. He added that Macedonia had major disappointments as a country, starting with the Badinter Commission report, the 1992 Lisbon Declaration, and still feels uneasy when voluntarily taken commitments are not observed by an EU Member State towards us. With the International Court of Justice ruling, we expected that that decision would be respected, but we witness it is not respected. It does not discourage us to continue on our European path and meet all the EU requirements.

Young people and businessmen, President Ivanov stressed, are a proof that the Macedonian and the Greek society have no problems despite the name issue to function. Let's hope that the European elections will help change the situation in our southern neighbor, that young generations will come not burdened with the past, because all Balkan countries have new elites except our southern neighbor, with the elites from the Cold War period, the President of the Republic of Macedonia said. He explained that sometimes in a democracy politicians do not want to take bold decisions beyond their mandate, which is also typical for some EU Member States. But the EU has awarded those countries that had not met the requirements, and some were not even constituted as countries and are a problem within the EU. Usually the answer is that Macedonia must fulfill all conditions and that such cases were precedent and it cannot apply for us. It hurts because it's a typical example of double standards. But when we receive citizens' trust to fulfill the strategic objectives, we must find a way and will to do it primarily for the generations to come after us, the Macedonian President said.

Democracy, said President Ivanov, is a process that is learned if you participate in it. When, at the polls, you cast your vote, you must accept the result of the will of the people. Unfortunately, nowadays we are still learning and it seems that there is tiredness in democracy that has led to what we have today. But the European idea is a roadmap of how fierce enemies have reached a solution through dialogue and offered future. We owe that to the generations to come and are obliged, on their behalf, to remain consistent with the idea of a Europe and of peace, President Ivanov said at the panel discussion.

Ambassador Orav stressed that the key values of the EU are peace, democracy and prosperity. When we talk about democracy, it implies rule of law, respect for human rights, free media ... Now, according to Ambassador Orav, the EU faces new challenges, as the European security. The enlargement, as the most successful EU policy, will continue. All those countries that need the EU, should know that the EU needs all those countries for a strong democracy, Ambassador Orav stressed. He added that the EU is in constant development. Sometimes decision making is a long and complex process, and since there are 28 states making decisions at home, which have to meet and decide on a particular issue, it is a time-consuming process, too. It is considered a weakness of the EU, but at the same time it is not a weakness because it is a very transparent process, he explained. The main challenges in the last years, he underlined again, for the EU have been the economic crisis, and now there is a new phase, and it is the security aspect. According to him, the main problem for the economic growth and development is the corruption.

Professor Latifi spoke about the European values and the need of their further promotion.