The double standards of the liberal order denied us the right to identity, but also the right to prosperity, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Gjorge Ivanov, said in his address at the 5^th Global Baku Forum held today and tomorrow in Baku, Azerbaijan.
 

Speaking about the future of international relations through the prism of geopolitics and geography, President Ivanov referred to the paradox facing Macedonia in terms of the liberal order and the urge for freedom. President Ivanov stressed that Macedonia’s independence 26 years ago began with celebration of political liberalism and liberal order and the idea of ​​freedom had the power to transform our society. Macedonia became the front runner of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the region, but it faced a huge paradox, President Ivanov said.
 

“Macedonia is an example of collapse of the liberal order after World War II. Macedonia is the only country within the UN that has no right to its own identity. The right to self-identification, being the fundamental right of every individual and every country in the international order is also denied. Macedonia is deprived of the right to prosperity. Its NATO and EU integrations are blocked. It speaks of the hypocrisy of this international order with double standards. Therefore, the world order and the international order collapsed in the case of Macedonia”, President Ivanov said.
 

However, President Ivanov added, the order is in crisis, not the idea of ​​freedom, asking whether this instability is only a passing episode or a defining moment in world history.
 

“In terms of crisis, there are only two ideas that can mobilize people - hope and fear. Today, hope is scarce. And, the less hope, the more fear, the Macedonian President said in his address.
 

Speaking about Europe, President Ivanov pointed out that its future should be seen as a period of transformation and preparation for the challenges of the third millennium.
 

“Today, when the left and right populism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, exclusion, borders recur on the European political scene, a new idea needs to be offered. This is the time for re-creation of Europe - metamorphosis of Europe”, the Macedonian President stressed.
 

The Global Baku Forum, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, includes over 100 current and former presidents, prime ministers and ministers, a number of prominent figures from the political and social life, as well as representatives of the Young Leaders’ Program of the Global Forum. The future of Europe, the role of China in international relations, the relations between Russia and the West, the challenges in dealing with modern terrorism are some of the topics discussed by world leaders in Baku.