The Summit of NATO Heads of States and Governments will be held on November 19 and 20, in Lisbon. The Agenda for the Summit also foresees a meeting of the Heads of States or Governments on Afghanistan and countries contributing to ISAF, as well as a meeting on NATO-Russia Council.

The delegation of the Republic of Macedonia, headed by the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, along with the Foreign Minister Miloshoski and the Defence Minister Konjanovski, will participate at the meeting of the Heads of States or Governments on Afghanistan, contributing to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, on November 20.
It is expected, at the meeting, a discussion to be opened on the efforts of NATO allies and partners to provide additional resources for the ISAF mission, the transition of the security powers to the Afghan authorities and building long-term strategic partnership between NATO and the Afghan government. It is also expected the ISAF contributing countries to adopt a Declaration on Afghanistan which will focus on the progress made and on the future engagements. At the meeting of Heads of States and Governments of the countries contributing to the mission of the Alliance in Afghanistan, President Ivanov will address the participants. Key-note speakers at the meeting, besides NATO senior officials, will be the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the World Bank Zoellick and Japanese Prime Minister Khan.
At the meeting of the NATO Member States Summit on November 19, a new Strategic Concept of the Alliance should be adopted, and decisions regarding the internal reform of NATO and missile defense should be adopted.
The emphasis of the meeting of the NATO – Russia Council should be on issues related to cooperation between NATO and the Russian Federation in the context of ISAF and Afghanistan, as well as the possible cooperation in dealing with contemporary security challenges, cooperation and missile defense.
During the Summit, within the frameworks of the presidency of the Republic of Macedonia with the Adriatic Charter, a meeting of the Heads of delegations of A5 countries – the Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina is to be held.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, met with the EU Ambassador, Erwan Fouere, who personally handed over the Progress Report on the Republic of Macedonia for 2010, prepared by the European Commission.
At the meeting, EU Ambassador Fouere briefed Ivanov on the key assessments of the European Commission in which certain weaknesses are noted, but also acknowledged the progress our country has achieved over the past year.
Fouere expressed gratitude on behalf of all members of the European Union for the efforts our country is making in all fields, important for creating a positive climate in the whole society.
President Ivanov stressed that this year’s EC Report, such as previous, provides a realistic picture of the work done and the achievements made of the country, expressing particular satisfaction with the re-confirmed recommendation for the readiness of the Republic of Macedonia to start accession negotiations.
President Ivanov said that the report is a good benchmark where to focus energy, adding that in the coming period, as President, he will engage his authority, to make all institutions in the Republic concentrate on additional efforts to achieve the reform agenda.

In accord with the Law on Free Access to Information, regarding the public request of the Cabinet of the former President of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Branko Crvenkovski, as well as the interest of the media for precise information in terms of the engagement of consultants from the Republic of Slovenia by the Cabinet of the Republic of Macedonia at the time when Mr. Branko Crvenkovski was actively holding office, we inform that, after today’s screening of the documentation of the Cabinet’s Archive from that period, the following has been concluded:

The Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, in the period when Mr. Branko Crvenkovski was actively holding office, has concluded agreements for cooperation, providing development and research with three individuals from the Republic of Slovenia, who are presently subject of the public interest.

The agreements have been signed by the former Secretary General of the Cabinet of the Republic of Macedonia holding office during the time when Mr. Branko Crvenkovski was actively holding office.

In accord with the existing agreements for engagement of consultants from the Republic of Slovenia, financial assets from the budget of the President of the Republic of Macedonia have been paid in the sum of 20.764.057 (twenty million seven hundred and sixty four thousand and fifty seven) denars, or, a total sum of 340.394 (three hundred and forty thousand three hundred ninety four) euros, calculated in accord with the middle course of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia.

The first consultant from the Republic of Slovenia was paid with 8.305.626 (eight million three hundred and five thousand six hundred ninety six) denars, or, 136.157 (one hundred and thirty six thousand and one hundred fifty seven) euros.

The second consultant from the Republic of Slovenia was paid with 5.149.482 (five million one hundred forty nine thousand and four hundred eighty two) denars, or 84.417 (eighty four thousand and four hundred and seventeen) euros.

The third consultant from Slovenia was paid with 7.308.949 (seven million three hundred and eight thousand and nine hundred forty nine) denars, or, 119.818 (one hundred nineteen thousand eight hundred and eighteen) euros.

The Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Macedonia hopes  that the publishing of the available data will contribute to the clarification of the issue that is of public interest these days.

Concerning the request by the media for the information regarding the engagement of two Slovenian PR experts with the Cabinet of the former President of the Republic of Macedonia Mr. Branko Crvenkovski while he was actively holding office, we would like to inform the public of the following:

The Cabinet of the President  of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov is looking into all the legal options and regulations regarding the release of the documents related to this event and making them available to the public according to the procedures of the Law on Free Access to Public Information.

What we can say at this point is that, in the Archive of The Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, there exists only the documentation which has already been mentioned in the media, and that,  professional consultants from the Republic of Slovenia participated in their creation.

After the screening of the all documents and a thorough assessment of the actual situation, we will inform the public accordingly.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, H.E. Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, honoring 23rd of October - Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle, sent a greeting to the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia.

Respected citizens,

Today, proudly and with great joy we celebrate the Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle, marking the 117th anniversary of the establishment of the Macedonian revolutionary organization with which the organized struggle of the Macedonian people for liberty and independent state begun.

The vision of the six founding fathers of the organization was inspired by the liberal ideals of the entire people, thus, the establishment of the Macedonian revolutionary organization was received with joy all over Macedonia. The Macedonian revolutionary struggle, transcendenting ethnicity as proclaimed in the Krusevo Manifesto, was accepted by all citizens.

A long and thorny road was passed from since the founding of the Macedonian revolutionary organization until the liberation and establishment of an independent Macedonian state. This road was covered with suffering, blood and great heroism. The self-sacrifice of generations of Macedonian heroes remained as a vow to the future generations.

Today, when we live in free and independent Macedonia, we are bounded by our heroes’ vow to continue down the path of development and progress, creating a modern and prosperous state, an equal member of the world family of nations.

Together we continue forward!

Happy holiday,

Long live Macedonia!

Dr. Gjorge Ivanov