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.