The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, received today Mr. Aleksandar Vucic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Macedonia on the occasion of the second Joint Session of the Governments of the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia.

President Ivanov expressed satisfaction with the exchange of mutual visits, noting that it is an indicator of the intensity of the political dialogue.

"The contacts at the highest level have special meaning and give a strong signal for further development of friendship and cooperation between our two countries. The joint sessions of the two governments are a new chapter in the mutual communication which opens up the possibility for a direct and more efficient cooperation in numerous areas of mutual interest", President Ivanov said at the meeting.

President Ivanov said that the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia have identical vision of a common future in the big European family, stability and prosperity of the region which can be achieved with the integration processes and enhanced regional cooperation. Noting that the Republic of Macedonia is firmly determined to build equally good relations with all neighbors, President Ivanov said that the country is ready to cooperate and exchange experiences on the EU integration and in the regional initiatives.

At the meeting, President Ivanov welcomed the improvement of the legal framework and the signing of several agreements and documents and stressed the need for a maximum commitment to the economic cooperation, as well as the energy and infrastructure connectivity.

"The time when only meetings and political declarations were enough has finished. Citizens expect concrete results from all bilateral or regional meetings", President Ivanov said at the meeting.

President Ivanov and Prime Minister Vucic exchanged views on the situation in the region. Both agreed that the dialogue is the only way to overcome the outstanding issues and differences in our region, and agreed that they must not in any way be an obstacle for bilateral, regional cooperation, nor an obstacle in the integration processes.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, met today in Zagreb with the President-elect of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

At the meeting, the two interlocutors expressed willingness to further strengthen the traditionally friendly relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Croatia and to intensify the cooperation at bilateral, regional and multilateral level.

President Ivanov congratulated the Croatian President Mrs. Grabar-Kitarovic on the assuming of office and wished her success.

The Macedonian President expressed satisfaction with the ongoing development of relations and cooperation between the two countries and willingness to their further content enrichment, adding that with joint efforts we will contribute to the regional stability and prosperity.

In this context, President Ivanov stressed the importance of the "Bardo-Brioni Process", which is a firm acknowledgment of the commitment of Croatia to strengthen regional cooperation and support the Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries in the region.

Concerning Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic integration processes, President Ivanov expressed confidence that Croatia, as a proven friend of the Republic of Macedonia, will continue to strongly support our efforts for integration into the EU and NATO and expressed appreciation for the constructive position that bilateral disputes should not be an obstacle on the Euro-Atlantic path.

"The positive examples in our region of parallel processes of integration and overcoming bilateral differences should be applied in the case of the Republic of Macedonia and its southern neighbor", President Ivanov stressed.

The Croatian President, Mrs. Grabar-Kitarovic, noted that strategic interest of the Republic of Croatia is full integration of the region into the Euro-Atlantic structures, adding that Croatia will continue with its active and constructive role and commitment for membership of Macedonia into the EU and NATO.

The meeting agreed on the dynamic of exchange of visits at the highest level in the coming period.
Before this meeting, President Ivanov attended the inauguration of the new President of the Republic of Croatia. The delegation also includes the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Macedonia, Zoran Jolevski.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, received today Mrs. Maja Gojkovic, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Macedonia.

President Ivanov expressed his satisfaction at the meeting with the exchange of visits between the two countries, noting that the contacts at the highest level have special importance and give a strong signal for further development of friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia.

President Ivanov and the President of the Serbian Assembly, Mrs. Gojkovic, assessed that the role of the parliamentary dimension of the overall cooperation between the two countries is extremely important.

President Ivanov welcomed the ongoing and expressed hope for future even more productive cooperation.

The meeting assessed that the joint sessions of the two governments is a new chapter in the mutual communication which opens up the possibility for direct and more efficient cooperation.

"Our countries share long-standing historical and cultural tradition and an identical vision of a common future in the big European family and vital interest to intensify bilateral relations in all areas of mutual interest, despite the differences in the views on certain issues that exist, but are not an obstacle to the successful cooperation", President Ivanov said.

The meeting especially emphasized the need for further intensification of the economic cooperation, as well as the cooperation in the field of energy and infrastructure.

President Ivanov and the President of the Serbian Assembly, Mrs. Gojkovic, exchanged views on the latest developments in the region.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, received today a delegation of the parliamentary group for cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the South-Eastern Europe in the Bundestag.

The meeting with the German MPs discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries, the European and Euro-Atlantic integrations of the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the current developments in the country.

President Ivanov expressed satisfaction with the consistent and continuous support of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Macedonian strategic goals, assessing positively the current overall bilateral relations. In this context, the Macedonian President welcomed the parliamentary cooperation between the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia and the Bundestag and expressed willingness to further promote the cooperation between the two countries in all areas of common interest and to maintain continuity in the political dialogue at all levels.

In terms of the Euro-Atlantic integrations, the Macedonian President noted that our country remains fully committed to the implementation of the reforms for EU and NATO membership, adding that the support of the Federal Republic of Germany is of extreme importance.

"The political parties in the country need to act reasonably and responsibly in accordance with the interests of the citizens and the state", President Ivanov said relating to the recent developments in the Republic of Macedonia and added that the internal situation is largely due to the prolonged unprincipled and contrary to the international law blockade of the Macedonia's EU and NATO integration.

"The Republic of Macedonia and the countries of the South-Eastern Europe have the support of the Bundestag in terms of their Euro-Atlantic integrations. We are your friend and we want to support and assist you on your path to the EU and NATO membership", Peter Weiss said, chairman of the parliamentary group for cooperation with South-Eastern Europe in the Bundestag.

Претседателот на Република Македонија, д-р Ѓорге Иванов, денеска ги прими акредитивните писма на новоименуваниот амбасадор на Соединетите Американски Држави, Н.Е. г. Џес Бејли.

На свечената церемонија, претседателот Иванов на амбасадорот Бејли му посака успешно извршување на дипломатските должности во земјата, истакнувајќи дека Република Македонија во континуитет придава исклучителна важност на развојот и унапредување на севкупните односи со САД, кои ги поврзува заемната посветеност кон почитувањето на универзалните вредности за мир, слобода, демократија и безбедност во регионални и светски рамки.

Претседателот Иванов, го нагласи значењето на поддршката и ангажманот од Соединетите Американски Држави како стратегиски партнери во реализација на нашите надворешно политички цели и приоритети - интеграцијата во евроатлантските структури, добрососедските односи и регионалната соработка.

„Дозволете ми да упатам изрази на искрена благодарност за континуираната поддршка за зачленувањето на Република Македонија во НАТО и во Европската унија. Непринципиелните блокади, спротивни на меѓународното право, кои се пречка за нашите интеграции, кои создаваат и проблеми во нашето општество, воопшто не нè обесхрабруваат. За нас никогаш не било прашањето дали, туку кога, ќе ги реализираме нашите цели. Членството на Република Македонија во НАТО и интеграцијата во ЕУ има огромна кохезивна моќ во нашето општество. Тоа, убеден сум, не е придобивка само за нас, недвосмислено тоа позитивно ќе влијае и на стабилноста и просперитетот на нашиот регион", рече претседателот Иванов, во поздравното обраќање, потенцирајќи дека на тој план, како и досега, се надеваме и очекуваме поголема поддршка од САД.

Амбасадорот на САД, г. Бејли, истакна дека Македонија и САД имаат многу заеднички нешта, како што се разновидна популација со различни етнички групи, религии и традиции, кои ги зајакнуваат и ги збогатуваат двете земји, додавајќи дека ние сме партнери и сојузници во секој поглед.

„Со нетрпение очекувам да работам со Вас, со Владата и со народот на Македонија, со цел да продолжи оваа традиција на партнерство. Повеќе од 20 години, минувајќи и низ тешки времиња, работевме заедно и постигнавме многу во реализацијата на заедничките цели, особено за изградба на Европа, обединета, слободна во мир, и со Македонија целосно интегрирана во НАТО и во ЕУ. Оваа работа се темели на нашата заедничка посветеност кон придржување на демократијата, индивидуалните слободи и владеење на правото. Како што односите меѓу нашите земји растат и се развиваат, така нашите заеднички вредности потврдуваат дека ние и понатаму ќе останеме блиски", истакна во говорот амбасадорот Бејли.

Двајцата соговорници изразија задоволство од традиционално пријателските односи меѓу двете држави кои се засноваат на партнерство, доверба, меѓусебно разбирање и поддршка, за што сведочи и Декларацијата за стратегиско партнерство и соработка. Претседателот Иванов и амбасадорот Бејли истовремено се согласија за содржинско збогатување на билатералната соработка, особено на полето на економијата, јакнење на трговската размена и натамошно зголемување на американските инвестиции во Македонија, како и во сите други домени од заеднички интерес – здравството, културата, образованието, науката и информатичката технологија.

I hereby express my full support for the prompt, efficient and transparent action by all relevant state bodies in terms of establishment whether there have been activities contrary to the constitutional and legal system and for sanctioning the perpetrators of criminal acts.

I call upon the political entities in the country to act in a reasonable and responsible manner, in accordance with the interest of the citizens and the State. Only in this way will they be able to prove that their commitments are in the interest of democracy in the Republic of Macedonia.

As a democratic country we must demonstrate maturity when facing challenges that appear in our society. They must be tackled within the institutions.

The role of media in a democratic society is to point to all things that disturb democratic processes and are against the interests of the citizens and the State. They have my full support in the realization of this role.