The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov received today, at the Presidential Villa Biljana in Ohrid, representatives and some of the participants at this year’s Ohrid Summer Festival.

At the meeting, the Festival organizers informed the President, who is the patron of the Ohrid Summer Festival, about the ongoing preparations for the Festival. President Ivanov expressed hope that the Ohrid Summer Festival 2011 will be a successful cultural event, which brings together numerous foreign artists, many of them performing for the first time in Ohrid. According to President Ivanov, the Ohrid Summer Festival is vital in promoting the Macedonian culture in the world as well as the most important foreign cultural achievements before Macedonian audiences. Last year, President Ivanov awarded the Ohrid Summer Festival with an Order of Merits for Macedonia for a longstanding successful representation of Macedonian and global artistic and cultural achievements of this national institution.

The festival opens tomorrow, with the premiere of “Trilogia Romana”. The Presidents of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro, as guests of President Gjorge Ivanov, will attend the formal ceremony.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today received a delegation that participated at the 44th Seminar on Macedonian language, literature and culture, held this year in the period between June 27th and July 12th, traditionally in Ohrid, organized by the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje. This year, 112 participants from 24 countries took part at the Seminar on Macedonian language, literature and culture

At the meeting, President Ivanov stressed the importance of the Seminar on Macedonian language, literature and culture, which, for more than four decades, is a spiritual strength of the Macedonian cultural and national identity. Thanks to this event, Macedonian language and Macedonian literature and culture are spread throughout all world meridians, making friends and admirers. Congratulating the organizers for their dedication in organizing and realizing the Seminar, President Ivanov wished the Seminar to continue its mission in future and to be constantly developed and its contents to be diligently upgraded with a purpose to promote the Macedonian language and culture.

The guests informed the President in details on this year’s program and thanked him for his support, expressing a firm commitment to continue to be promoters of the Macedonian language and cultural identity. They also informed the President that after the Seminar, as a follow-up, an international scientific conference wil be organized, which will be attended by 80 participants.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today received a delegation of the Special Olympics Macedonia which participated at the Summer Olympic Games of the Special Olympics held in the period between June 25th and July 4th in Athens, Greece.

The meeting was organized due to the excellent results achieved by the Macedonian athletes at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens. The Macedonian athletes won three gold and three bronze medals in several sport disciplines: swimming, athletics and table-tennis.

At the meeting, President Ivanov congratulated the success achieved by the members of the Macedonian Special Olympics and conveyed his high appreciation for their work, stressing that he supports strongly the activities related to the persons with disabilities. Sport is one of the most successful ways of integration and socialization of people with disabilities. Hence, the overall activities of the Special Olympics, especially the international sport events, are of great importance. Thanks to the achievements of Special Olympics athletes, we promote our country and our culture, President Ivanov said.

Special Olympics representatives briefed on current activities and future plans and their participation at the main international events, expressing a firm commitment that they will be competitive in future as well and thus achieve highest results.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today received the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands, H.E. Ms. Simone Filippini at a farewell meeting.

Ambassador Filippini expressed gratitude to the institutions of the Republic of Macedonia for the cooperation and support in carrying out her diplomatic duties, but above all, for the warm reception and hospitality in our country during her term. She stressed that she is leaving Macedonia with many positive memories and impressions.

President Ivanov expressed his gratitude for the engagement and tireless commitment by Ambassador Filippini in the last four years, which contributed to the improvement of relations and the cooperation between Macedonia and the Netherlands.
 
Mutual satisfaction with the development and achieved level of bilateral relations was expressed during the meeting, as well as with the increased volume of overall cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Kingdom of Netherlands, especially in the areas of economy, culture, tourism.

At the meeting they exchanged views on the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the reform processes in all social spheres. Ambassador Filippini expressed gratitude for the cooperation with President Ivanov, wishing him and the Republic of Macedonia many future successes, primarily a prompt realization of the country’s efforts to integrate within EU and NATO.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today received the ambassadors of Romania, Hungary and Poland in the Republic of Macedonia on farewell meetings.

On the meeting with Adrian Stefan Constantinescu, Ambassador of the Republic of Romania in the Republic of Macedonia, the Ambassador expressed gratitude for the open collaboration with President Ivanov in the performance of his diplomatic duties. Both interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the achieved level of political relations and growing economic cooperation and trade. President Ivanov and Ambassador  Constantinescu also discussed the upcoming visit of President Ivanov to Romania.

President Ivanov expressed his appreciation to the Hungarian Ambassador Ferenc Kekeshi for the strong and consistent support during the Hungarian presidency with the European Union. At the meeting it was concluded that this support will continue. President Ivanov and Ambassador Kekeshi evaluated that the bilateral relations between the two countries are excellent, with regular meetings at the highest level that positively affects the development of friendly relations and overall cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Hungary.

At the meeting with President Ivanov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland Darius Bahura presented the priorities of the Polish presidency with the European Union. Ambassador Bahura stressed that the enlargement and integration of Southeast Europe is among the top priorities of the Polish presidency. President Ivanov expressed hope that during the Polish presidency, all countries in the region will make a step forward in the integration and will enter the next phase of integration. President Ivanov said that progress in integration positively affects the countries of Southeast Europe, that it will produce stability and prosperity in the region, but will also positively affect the credibility of the enlargement process and the unity and competitiveness of Europe and the European Union in global terms.

During the three meetings held today, President Ivanov stressed that the European Union today needs greater reliance on European values, and that it takes greater leadership and vision. The full readiness to further promote friendly relations, to promote overall cooperation, especially economic cooperation was expressed at the meetings. At the meetings with the ambassadors of Romania, Hungary and Poland, President Ivanov asked for their personal experiences in Macedonia, positive actions and successes to represent a lasting investment in the further development of their countries' relations with the Republic of Macedonia.
 

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Ivanov today received the Ambassador of the United States in the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Philip Reeker in a farewell visit.

Both interlocutors agreed that the relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the United States of America are exceptionally good, at a level of a strategic partnership that exists with the same intensity since Macedonia’s independence.

At the meeting, President Ivanov expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation and partnership with the United States, expressing high appreciation for the engagement and commitment of Ambassador Reeker in building and developing the relations between the two countries.

Ambassador Reeker said that the United States highly appreciate the friendship and partnership with the Republic of Macedonia and thanked President Ivanov for the exceptionally positive and constructive cooperation during his tenure. He emphasised that he especially appreciates President Ivanov’s initiatives directed towards the young people in the Republic of Macedonia.

Outgoing Ambassador Reeker also said he was particularly proud of the cooperation in the sphere of security and defense, as well as the strategic partnership based on mutual respect for identical values expressed through the support which the Republic of Macedonia provides for the important operations to protect democracy in international peacekeeping missions.

President Ivanov and Ambassador Reeker concluded that the good cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the United States of America will continue in the future. Both interlocutors expressed hope that Macedonia will soon realize the strategic priorities - membership in NATO and the European Union. President Ivanov said that it would be a step that will contribute to the prosperity, stability and democratic development of the region - objectives which are shared with the United States, in realization of which they have invested considerable resources.

At the end, President Ivanov used the occasion to congratulate the Ambassador Reeker the U.S. national holiday, Independence Day – 4th of July.