Dear citizens of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished representatives of the legislative, executive and judiciary authorities of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished representatives of the political parties and civil society,
Distinguished representatives of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the religious communities in the Republic of Macedonia,
Representatives of the media,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,

As President of the Republic of Macedonia, it is an honor for me to congratulate you on this great day that we are celebrating as an even greater jubilee – 25 years of independence of the Republic of Macedonia.

This great jubilee is an opportunity for introspection, revaluation and self-observation. This is a time for re-reading the pages written in our past and our present, but also, to pay attention to the empty, unwritten pages of our future.

By going through these pages, we will see that Macedonian past is filled with clashes between justice and power; freedom and slavery. The story started by our enlighteners and teachers was later continued in the Ilinden period. It was further developed during the ASNOM time, and finalized by the founders of independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia. They completed their work and left us with the sacred task of continuing our work for Macedonia.

During these 25 years, we have been put through many tests. Every new page is filled with both challenges and successes. With mistakes, but also wise decisions. And with steps taken either too late or too early, but also with steps taken at just the right time.

However, reading our history, we must not forget that it is just one chapter of the great book of world history.

25 years ago, there were five billion people in the world. Today, we are sharing the planet with over seven billion other people, along with their needs, desires and goals. Out of all the desires and goals, one is the strongest and most durable – namely, the strive for freedom and self-determination. The strive to stand on one's own ground. Out of around 7000 peoples in the world, only 193 succeeded in obtaining the privilege of establishing their own state and become part of the family of the United Nations. We are one of them. And that is the biggest success, the greatest triumph in Macedonian history.

However, that success happened when just a few in the region and Europe expected it. The end of the Cold War marked the beginning of the spring of identities. While Europe was integrating, our former common country disintegrated. They say that when the Berlin Wall fell down, it fell over Yugoslavia. And, in the last moment, we succeeded in getting out of the Federation that was falling apart like a house of cards, peacefully and without a single bullet fired.

This is how we became part of the order established after the Second World War. An order based on the victory over the evils of Fascism and Nazism. However, that order was already subject to changes.

We declared our sovereignty in a time of de-sovereignization, when many countries had already transferred part of their sovereignty to international organizations. We declared our independence in a world that was making us increasingly interconnected and interdependent. These 25 years coincided with some major global transformations and transitions. The transition from the 20th to the 21st century. From the second into the third millennium. From a bipolar to a unipolar world. But, today we have a multipolar world in which new world powers are facing old challenges, just as the old world powers are facing new global challenges. With the new major movement of peoples, with transnational terrorism and organized crime, climate changes and an increasingly visible inequitable growth, development and distribution of global resources.

At the same time, the world is living its new era of self-discovery. What used to be perceived as science fiction, is not realized as fantastic science. A planetary conscience began to develop thanks to new technologies. Now, everyone is able to communicate with everyone else. For the first time in history, we are able to see what is happening in the most distant parts of the world in real time.

We were part of major transformations and processes that created great expectations for all of us. Expectations that the new era of humanity would bring something more progressive, advanced and enlightening also to us here, in the Republic of Macedonia.

However, not all of our hopes came to life...

Fellow citizens,

In order to continue writing our chapter, it is necessary to remind ourselves of how we arrived this far. The best way to move forward is to go back to the very essence of freedom.

We have been free and independent for 25 years. We have institutions in charge of adopting and implementing laws. But, this is not enough. Laws in themselves are not enough to safeguard freedom. As a society, we can be truly free only if we preserve the freedom in our hearts - in the heart of Macedonia. And today, that heart is filled with bitterness. A bitterness because of all the broken vows.

Fellow citizens,

Last year, on the day of Ilinden, I spoke about the Macedonian manifestoes in the heroic town of Krushevo. Those manifestoes were a call for a covenant among us. A a covenant to trust and respect each other, and to build the country together. A covenant to write the Macedonian chapter in the book of world history together. Every covenant is a guarantee for those who made it. And every covenant implies mutual responsibility.

The first Ilinden had its covenant. Ilinden fighters were pledging before a revolver and a knife, promising to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of Macedonia.

The example of Ilinden fighters was followed by the fighters during the National Liberation and Anti-Fascist fight who succeeded in their fight for a second Ilinden, a second covenant taken at the first ASNOM Assembly. It was the covenant that laid the foundations of the first free and democratic Macedonian state. However, that covenant was broken by those whose perception of Macedonia was created for the needs and interests of others.

On September 8, 1991, we had our third Ilinden. As citizens, we voted for the constitution of the Republic of Macedonia as a sovereign, independent, civil and democratic country. A state that would establish and build rule of law; guarantee human rights, freedoms and equality. A state that would provide peace and coexistence for its citizens regardless of their ethnic, religious and linguistic affiliation. A state that would provide social justice, economic welfare and progress in personal and common life. On September 8, 1991, 25 years ago, we, the citizens, took the third Macedonian covenant.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Reading the chapters of the past, we will notice that the first pages have been written in a rush, with an almost ineligible handwriting and with many errors and mistakes. Those pages were written in a dramatic period, when the sound of weapons was clearly heard in the Balkans. This was in a period when the time between the lightning and the thunder was becoming shorter, and the security storm was looming on the horizon.

Many were surprised by our decision for independence. Some believed that we would become and remain a footnote in someone else's history. They believed that the chapter on Macedonia would finally be over and closed for good. However we, the Macedonian citizens, decided to write our new chapter in history ourselves. We decided to have the main role in our Macedonian story.

By declaring our independence, we disturbed many plans. Thus, we became an exception from many rules.

We had to fight for international recognition, establishment of diplomatic relations, participation in international organizations.

Since the beginning of our independence, we constantly see someone trying to strike through or erase our name. And by erasing the name Macedonia, it appears that someone is constantly trying to contest all aspects of our identity. Both ethnic, linguistic, cultural but also political and civil identity.

While other states were conquering new markets, we were defending our fundamental and inalienable human rights and freedoms, our right to self-identification and human dignity. The right to be who we are.

While others progressed in terms of integrations, we had to prove the obvious truth about our Macedonian name, our Macedonian language and our Macedonian identity. To prove our existence.

Since our first day of independence, we have been facing numerous paradoxes.
We were labeled a threat to security, although we were the only Republic to peacefully come out of the former common state.
We were blamed of stealing history, although others were stealing our artifacts.
Although we had met all requirements for international recognition and integration, we were denied and unrecognized for a long time.

However, we never quit and we were never discouraged. The idea of freedom had a transformational power over our society. NATO offered security and safety, while the European Union offered success and well-being. Therefore, we agreed upon our highest strategic aims – membership in NATO and the European Union. This is why we advocated liberalization of economy, pluralism in politics and Europeization of society. We were decisive when it came to the realization of our strategic aims.

It was a major transformation with great expectations. Our aim was to achieve the highest European values, principles and criteria in the area of democracy, rule of law, human rights and market economy. By making significant steps in all areas, the Republic of Macedonia became a positive example and the frontrunner of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the region.

However, we faced challenges in this area as well. The closer we were to the target, the further that target was taken away from us. Although we had met all the requirements to become a NATO member and open negotiations with the European Union, we were blocked and left on our own. The same strategic aims that used to unite us at the beginning, started frustrating us after the blockades.

It was not long before the blocked processes and lost years provoked deep political crises. Those crises turned us into hostages of bitterness, anger and intolerance for political opponents. Crises that divided us. We transferred the dialogue from state institutions into the embassies of foreign countries. We lost the feeling of public decency in the public space. Crises that provoked the stagnation of many processes and in which we broke the vow that we gave each other when we proclaimed our independence. A covenant to build this state together. Thus, the consequences of the blockades became reasons for new blockades.

Fellow citizens,

I remember vividly our previous jubilee - 20 years of independence. Then, united and together, we rejoiced in our independence.

But, unlike five years ago, this jubilee as caught us divided, in mistrust and hatred. This year in which the political crisis culminated was an opportunity for a social crisis and purification of our society from all irresponsibility, intolerance and hatred that we have accumulated in the past quarter of a century. This jubilee was supposed to be a turning point and a new beginning. However, instead of all that, we continued to fall even deeper in the mud of revanchism and mutual accusations. Society, economy, media, culture, art, sports...they all became hostages of the political crisis in which everyone has eyes for the mistakes of the opponent, but turns a blind eye to its own mistakes.

Fellow citizens,

After many delays and uncertainties, on December 11 we will finally have the long awaited early parliamentary elections. At these elections, the most important issue will not be who will obtain the most votes and who will govern until the next elections. This is for the citizens to say. What is more important is the pre-election and election process and how they will take place. Whether the will of the citizens will be respected, not only by the winner, but by the defeated party as well. But the most important is what will follow after the elections, after December 11.

Precious time was lost. These elections are a chance to finish this bitter page filled with uncertainty and to turn a new blank page.

The new Government will have a major task to do, in many areas.

In conditions of blocked European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, it is necessary for Macedonia to make a strategic shift to the inside. What does this mean? If the European Union does not have the willingness to open accession negotiations and open the chapters on Macedonia, then it is up to us to open the 34 chapters, and it is up to us to fulfill the criteria for membership in the Union. It is necessary to strengthen institutions, reform the judiciary, education, to develop our economy. In that way, we will eliminate, or at least minimize the consequences of the blockades. Therefore, what is necessary is a strategic introspection. To change ourselves for the better.

However, that strategic shift and introspection is much deeper and much more essential than it sounds.

We are about to enter a time for a new expression of agreement regarding the shared interests of all citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. An agreement between citizens and institutions; between citizens and their elected representatives.

After the elections, the new Government, but also all of us together, will have to work hard on relaxation, instead of severing the ties within the society. We have to restore the culture of dialogue and compromise in politics.
We need to build Macedonia as a country of successful people. We need to spare our society from political and party interference, and make it a society in which political battles will be led in institutions, and not in the streets.
A society in which the highest value will be loyalty to the state and its institutions, and not a political party. Loyalty to the fellow citizens, and not to the fellow members of a political party. A society in which we will stop seeing each other through the narrow and restraining prism of parties and ideologies, but as fellow citizens, neighbors, people.
A state with sound and mature political elite, in which the government will accept constructive proposals by the opposition, and in which the opposition will support the good policies of the government.
Media that will restore and preserve the dignity of journalism as a profession, as well as decency in the public space. Media that will act as the conscience of society.
Judiciary that will do justice in accordance with the established truth.
Schools and universities that will produce people ready to compete and win on the global market of ideas.
Entrepreneurs and businessmen who will be ready to lead an ethical business.
A society in which parents will provide a safe future for their children here, in Macedonia. A state that will create conditions to stop the process of moving out of young people.
A society in which the cross and the crescent, the church and the mosque will not be limits and fortresses to mark and defend some kind of imaginary territories. Because at the end of the day, we are all people, regardless of our faith.
A society in which, instead of muttering and gossiping, instead of offending and hurting, we will act according to the words of our great teacher St. Clement of Ohrid: let us compete in kindness.

However, in order to achieve this, we need to renew the vow.
How will we achieve all of this? If we observe three principles.
First. Rights that are inalienable from duties and responsibilities.
Second. Responsibility that is specific and personal, and not general and impersonal.
Third. Culture of respect and acceptance of others.

My call is not only addressed to institutions, political parties, government and opposition, civil society and media. My call is addressed to every individual. To every Macedonian, Albanian, Turk, Vlach, Serb, Roma and Bosniak. To every Christian, Muslim, Jew and atheist. To every professor and student, to every trader and farmer. To every worker and pensioner. To every parent and child. To every member of the security forces. To every author, artist and sports person. To every citizen of Macedonia. To every Macedonian expat in the world.

The future of the Republic of Macedonia depends on each and every one of us, on each and every one of you. It depends on whether you will add your obligations towards the Republic of Macedonia to the rights that you are enjoying. It depends on whether you will assume personal responsibility for every step and every life decision that you make. It depends on whether you will respect and accept your neighbor, with their ethnic, religious, social and ideological diversity, the way that the highest and timeless moral principles and values tell us to do.

Fellow citizens,

In last 25 years we have faced with almost all challenges that a country can witness. Denial and non recognition. Open issues and closed borders. Blockades and embargoes. Double standards and hypocrisy. Foreign propaganda and internal divisions. Violence and armed conflicts. Destruction of security systems and being part of other's games. Tragedies and natural hazards. Painful and traumatic transition that created a generation of missed opportunities and unfulfilled expectations.

But many of the pages of the past and present are also written with numerous successes in many fields.
We have built functional institutions and developed awareness of national interest.
We have our own army that guarantees the security of our children. We have our army and police forces which together protect Macedonia and Europe from the threat of illegal migration.
We have a favorable business environment for foreign investments. We are also building a new, dynamic and export-oriented industry.
From a country that exports only raw materials , Macedonia became a country that exports products and services which can be competitive in the European and world markets.
We have a well-known and recognized model of coexistence and respect and acceptance of diversity.
We have based our foreign policy on peaceful principles and we want the best possible relations with all of our neighbors.
We achieved visa liberalization which created a lot of opportunities for our citizens.
We know very well where we naturally belong and we have a clear goal for our future.
Among many victories we can also include the successes of our athletes who with pride waved the Macedonian flag and intonated our national anthem after every successful match and achieved medal.
We can see today that products "Made in Macedonia" are in the shelves of almost all continents.
We can also proudly say that works of our authors have been translated and are read in many languages.
We can see that our young scientists became part of the global academic community.
From the pages of the present it can also be read the solidarity, humanity and support that we give to our fellow citizens.

However, there are many blank pages, still unwritten, to be filled in by our children, our descendants. Those who were born in independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia will celebrate the next 25 years. The next great jubilee belongs to them.

But, their part of the story depends largely on what we are doing today. The consequences of the decisions made by our generation will be felt by future generations. Therefore, we need to pay attention to the legacy we will leave to them, because with each step made further into divisions and hatred, we will take away part of the joy of our descendants.

We must not allow for the bitterness of our generation to be transferred to future generations. We must prepare them for the future. They will live in a world of even greater acceleration and dynamics. A world in which they will need to keep up with global processes and compete in global markets. In such circumstances, they will need a place to rely on, a piece of land to feel as their own, where they can fulfill themselves as persons at any time. And that piece on Earth is Macedonia.

Let us relieve them from the burden of dissatisfaction and unpleasantness brought about by our generations.

Let us allow them to dedicate themselves to higher and nobler things, useful for Macedonia and the region. To focus on building rather than destroying. To be communicative, innovative and creative.

To allow them to feel what kind of noble privilege and dignity it is to have our own state.

To allow them to be citizens of the world, without ceasing to be citizens of their own country – the Republic of Macedonia.

But in order to achieve this, we need to forgive each other, reconcile and unite regarding the state interests of the Republic of Macedonia. Until it becomes too late. Let us forgive each other, let us reconcile and unite in order to be able to leave to the future generations a state in which they will be free and on their own ground. A state that will celebrate many happy returns to many jubilees and many more birthdays of the independence of the Republic of Macedonia.

Happy Birthday to our homeland!
Long live the Republic of Macedonia!

Ваша Екселенцијо,

Дозволете ми најпрво срдечно да Ве поздравам, да Ви посакам искрено добредојде како шеф на делегацијата на Европската Унија во Република Македонија, и воедно да Ви посакам многу успех во извршувањето на одговорната должност.

Искрено се надевам дека за време на Вашиот мандат дополнително ќе зајакнат и ќе се развијат меѓусебните односи и ќе се продлабочи започнатата активна соработка во сите сфери.‎

Вашето богато дипломатско искуство, убеден сум, ќе даде дополнителен белег на развојот на меѓусебните односи и соработката. Ве уверувам дека во вршењето на Вашата дипломатска должност ќе ја уживате нашата целосна соработка и помош.

Почитуван Амбасадоре,

‎ Членството во Европската Унија за Република Македонија претставува највисока стратешка цел. Toa e изборот на граѓаните на Република Македонија и тој избор ужива широка политичка, етничка и социјална поддршка, и има силна обединувачка моќ во нашето општество. Токму затоа очекувам и се надевам што поскоро да се деблокираат евроинтеграциските процеси. Секое натамошно пролонгирање на овој процес, како и досега, сериозно ќе влијае на темпото на реформите, на нивото на политичка култура во државата и на културата на дијалог и компромиси. Не станува збор за алиби со кое би се оправдале некои внатрешни состојби ‒ напротив, станува збор за реален факт со реални импликации. Постојаното одлагање на почетокот на пристапните преговори се покажа како контрапродуктивно. Во време на сериозни предизвици како за Европа, така и за нашиот регион и за Република Македонија, крајно време е за промена на пристапот, а ние, подготвени сме да го преземеме својот дел од задачата за иднината на Европа и на Европската Унија.

Искрено се надевам дека и Унијата и земјите членки од примерот со Македонија ќе извлечат поуки, и дека позитивните примери на паралелно движење во интеграцијата и надминувањето на билатералните разлики, конечно ќе биде применето и во нашиот случај. Верувам дека Унијата, и покрај сите предизвици со кои се соочува, ќе го исправи досегашниот погрешен пристап кон Македонија. Во спротивно, доколку Македонија и по следните избори не добие датум и не ги започне пристапните преговори, прашање на време е кога ќе се соочиме со следна политичка криза. Во таков случај постои реална опасност од опаѓање на довербата и поддршката од граѓаните, кои оправдано пристапниот процес и членството во ЕУ ги гледаат како фактори за подобра и просперитетна иднина.

Екселенцијо,

Блокирањето на евроатлантската интеграција на Македонија е пример за тоа како не треба да се гради безбедноста во регионот. Во актуелниот геополитички контекст особено е важно и почитувањето на меѓународното право и обврски, вклучително и во случајот со Македонија. Времето на предизвици и кризи е и време на можности. Токму затоа, искрено се надевам дека Европската Унија и земјите членки ќе покажат поголемо разбирање за геополитичките предизвици, уважувајќи го меѓународното право преку почитување на пресудата на Меѓународниот суд на правдата во Хаг.
‎
Република Македонија исклучително одговорно и со сопствени сили одговори на предизвиците од бегалската и мигрантска криза. Досега повеќепати имам изнесено и повторно ќе нагласам дека не сум задоволен од односот на ЕУ кон Република Македонија во поглед на справувањето со предизвиците кои произлегуваат од актуелната криза со бегалците. Имавме разумни барања, поврзани со безбедносниот аспект на бегалската криза, кои значително ќе придонесеа кон безбедноста во Европа. За жал, нашите барања долго време беа игнорирани. Се надеваме дека ова нема да биде пракса, туку исклучок, затоа што Македонија покажа дека може да биде одговорен партнер на меѓународната заедница.

‎Почитуван Aмбасадоре,

Од друга страна, благодарен сум за севкупната помош која Република Македонија и нејзините граѓани ја имаат добиено во многу сфери. Токму таквата поддршка, вербата во вредностите на Унијата, и вербата во просперитетна иднина се причина за поддршката која Унијата ја ужива од македонските граѓани.

Во тој контекст, остануваме посветени на спроведувањето на сите неопходни реформски процеси и очекуваме Европската Унија, не само декларативно, туку со конкретни чекори да ги охрабри напорите на нашата земја на патот кон нејзината целосна интеграција.

Ваша Екселенцијо,

На крајот, дозволете ми, да ја искористам оваа прилика преку Вас да ги упатам моите најсрдечни поздрави до претседателот на Европскиот совет, г. Доналд Туск, до претседателот на Европската комисија, г. Жан-Клод Јункер и до високиот претставник, Нејзината Екселенција г-ѓа Федерика Могерини, а Вам, лично, уште еднаш да Ви посакам многу успех во извршувањето на одговорната функција.

Почитувани припадници на Министерството за внатрешни работи,
Ценети присутни,
Дами и господа,

Денешниов ден и датум ќе остане впишан во историјата на современата македонска држава. На 19 август 2015-та, пред точно една година, донесовме одлука за прогласување на кризна состојба.

Одлуката ја донесовме затоа што се соочивме со еден од најголемите предизвици во последните децении – а тоа е мигрантската и бегалска криза. Бегајќи од зоните на конфликти, анархија и назадување, милиони бегалци и мигранти од Блискиот Исток и Африка среќата ја бараат во Европа.

Оваа криза ја затекна Европската унија неподготвена. Многу европски идеали, принципи, политики и механизми паднаа на нејзиниот тест. Под притисокот на мигрантскиот бран попуштија Фронтекс и Шенген зоната. Се покажа дека кризата не може да се реши само со политички декларации и бирократски процедури, туку мора да се менаџира со помош и поддршка и од страна на безбедносните служби и армиски структури.

Географијата и историјата сакале Македонија да биде дел од Балканскиот мигрантски коридор. Редовно ја посетував јужната граница и многу добро се сеќавам на стравот кај нашите сограѓани од илегалната миграција. Истовремено, бевме свесни дека коридорот што го отворија бегалците, почнаа да го користат не само економските мигранти, туку и криминалните мрежи и терористите.

Соочени со овој голем предизвик, решивме да ја заштитиме територијата и да го контролираме мигрантскиот бран. Бевме првата држава во Европа која не е членка на Европската унија, а која прогласи кризна состојба за закана од илегална миграција, која доаѓа од територија на Унијата.

На почетокот се соочивме со критики. Поради расцепот меѓу фактичката и медиумската реалност некои ни замеруваа што подигнавме заштита ограда и не обвинуваа за нехуман однос кон мигрантите.

На дело покажавме дека како држава правиме се што е во нашата можност за да ги исполниме сите наши меѓународни обврски за хуман третман на мигрантите и бегалците.

Долго време се соочувавме со некооперативност од страна на службите на нашиот јужен сосед. Иако добивме помош и поддршка од повеќе европски држави, се уште чекаме да ја видиме конкретната помош од Европската унија, чија безбедност ја чуваме.

Сето ова се случуваше во период кога, покрај длабока внатрешна политичка криза, се соочувавме и се уште се соочуваме со закани од насилен екстремизам и тероризам.

Почитувани припадници на Министерството за внатрешни работи,

Во вакви исклучително сложени геополитички и безбедносни услови, вие, заедно со Армијата на Република Македонија успеавте да одржите отворени, а сепак добро контролирани граници.

Од моментот кога беше прогласена кризна состојба па се до затворањето на Балканската мигрантска рута во март оваа година, граничната полиција, заедно со Армијата успешно го менаџираше процесот на прифаќање, транзит и излез на над 760.000 бегалци и мигранти.

Од затворањето на Балканската рута до денес, над 22.000 мигранти беа спречени во обидот за илегален влез и транзит низ Република Македонија. Благодарение на вашиот деноноќен ангажман, над 80 кривични дела за криумчарење мигранти беа процесуирани. Со тоа се нанесе удар врз организираниот криминал што заработува од трговијата со човечки судбини.

Чувајќи ја границата од заканата од илегална миграција, вие го зачувавте суверенитетот, независноста и територијалниот интегритет на Република Македонија, и ја зацврстивте националната безбедност и сигурност на македонските граѓани. Но, истовремено, имате и многу поголема улога. Чувајќи ја границата, вие ја чувате и портата на Европа.

Благодарение на вашиот професионализам, ја стекнавме довербата и почитта на нашите сојузници кои во Македонија почнуваат да гледаат сè позначаен партнер. Тие правилно разбраа дека, помагајќи и на Македонија, си помагаат себеси. А има и зошто. Македонија има јасна, доследна и координирана политика во однос на мигрантската криза. Австрија, Полска, Словачка, Словенија, Србија, Унгарија, Хрватска и Чешка дури пратија и свои полициски сили за да помогнат во справувањето со оваа криза. Ним сме им многу благодарни.

Поради сево ова, како Претседател на Република Македонија и како Врховен командант чест ми со Ордени за воени заслуги да се заблагодарам на Одделот за гранични работи и миграции и на Единицата за обука и поддршка при Министерството за внатрешни работи. Овие Ордени се симболична благодарност од македонските граѓани до нивните бранители кои деноноќно ги чуваат нивните животи, имоти и лична сигурност.

Почитувани припадници на полицијата,

Чувајќи ја границата и чувајќи ја Европа, вие го чувате и меѓународниот углед на Република Македонија. Но, најважно од се, вие заедно со Армијата, го чувате угледот на државата во очите на сопствените граѓани. Ја чувате довербата на македонските граѓани во способноста и капацитетот на институциите да ја заштитат нивната безбедност. А довербата е поважна од се. Бидејќи, довербата во државата ни дава можност да ја планираме иднината на нашите деца, на нашите семејства.

До сега добро се држевте. Но, не смеете да се опуштите. Заканата од илегална миграција е се уште присутна. На повидок е втор, помасовен мигрантски бран од Африка. Се уште постои сериозна закана од насилно отворање на Балканскиот мигрантски коридор. Многубројните терористички напади ги поларизираа европските општества. Шверцерите со човечки судбини не мируваат, туку смислуваат нови начини и бараат нови, алтернативни мигрантски рути за да заработат од трговијата со луѓе.

Затоа, овие ордени за воени заслуги не се само израз на нашата искрена и длабока благодарност, туку и на нашето очекување да продолжите да ги чувате македонските граници уште побудно и поревносно.

Додека ја извршувате оваа одговорна задача, сетете се на следново. Во годината кога навршуваме четврт век од независноста, историјата не става пред голема проверка. Од вашата будност и готовност, од вашата спремност и професионализам зависи колку успешно ќе одговориме на овој тест на историјата. Од вас зависи како идните генерации ќе гледаат на нашата генерација, на вас, чуварите на границите на Македонија.

Ви благодарам.

Distinguished members of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished participants,
Fellow citizens,

It is a great honor to welcome you and congratulate you on August 18 – Day of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia. Today's holiday is of double importance, since we are celebrating it on the eve of the celebration marking a quarter century of independence of our homeland.

However, today I will not be talking about the beginnings of the Army in the dawn of independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia. I will not speak about the great reform progress on our Euro-Atlantic path either. I will not speak about the numerous rotations of our troops in successful peace-keeping missions, or the thousands of recognitions and medals awarded by partner countries and armies. I will not mention any of this because the overall acquired knowledge and experience was put to the test in the course of this past year. The Army of the Republic of Macedonia passed that great test with flying colors.

Dear participants,

Today in Europe, courage is an expensive and rare thing. Macedonia showed that it has the courage to face threats. While NATO and EU found it difficult to handle the migration crisis and securing their borders, the Republic of Macedonia demonstrated its capacity to manage the threat.

The key role in that endeavor was and still is played by the Army of the Republic of Macedonia. It not only preserved the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the state, but it also strengthened national security and safety of Macedonian citizens.

The memories from last year's celebration of Army Day are still fresh. And I remember very well that only two days later, I made a decision to deploy Army troops along our southern border.

Therefore, as President of the Republic of Macedonia and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, I made the decision to decorate two battalions – the Military Police Battalion and the Engineering Battalion within the Army of the Republic of Macedonia. The Orders of Military merits that I awarded are a symbolic expression of gratitude of the Macedonian citizens to the guardians of their security and safety. Today, we must underline the risks that those people were facing during the migration crisis.

As Supreme Commander, I am proud of the Engineering Battalion of the Army, that succeeded in raising a protective fence of 20 km in only two days. Let me repeat - 20 kilometers in no more than two days.

If this effort was an expression of bravery, then I must also emphasize that the 20 km of road built for the needs of Macedonian citizens and the two bridges for the inhabitants of Poroj are additional reasons to rank the Engineering battalion among the most deserving ones within our Army.

The Military Police Battalion is in no way different in terms of merit. In the past year, members of this battalion deployed along the south border line put their lives at risk on many occasions, while performing their constitutional obligations.

When decoration this unit, one must not forget to mention the escort of convoys and performance of extremely complex and dangerous tasks related to the protection of very important persons, both in Macedonia and abroad.

In these past, exceptionally difficult 12 months featuring numerous threats and risks, the Army was successful in preventing over 19.000 attempts for illegal crossing of the border. The Army, together with the Police, successfully prevented the attempts of thousands of migrants to violently break the protection fence and inundate the territory of our country. With this, the Army and the Police manage to protect the Balkan migration route and Europe itself.

During the migration crisis, the 2500 members of the Army achieved something that bigger and better equipped armies had been unable to achieve. The only motive you had was your wish to protect the homeland.

However, the migration crisis was not the only test our Army had to pass. We were successful in resisting the initial migration wave, but unfortunately not in the case of the wave of natural disaster.

Distinguished participants,

Only ten days ago, the Republic of Macedonia was struck by grief. In the flood of enormous dimensions that struck several quarters of Skopje, 22 of our fellow citizens, from the most vulnerable categories, lost their lives. The victims were mostly women and children. Apart from the invaluable loss of human life, hundreds of families in Stajkovci, Singelikj, Chento, Arachinovo and other areas near the Skopje Ring road have also suffered major material damages.

A day after the flood I said that this is a time for humanity and solidarity, a time when we must all leave aside daily politics. I am encouraged to see that, every day, citizens and institutions are showing solidarity to the people from the flood-stricken areas - these in donations, equipment but also in labor. Our neighbors from the region, our friends and partners in Europe also showed solidarity in action. We are thankful for all the assistance they have provided us in these difficult days.

However, there is again one institution that was a frontrunner in terms of readiness and self-sacrifice – and that is the Army of the Republic of Macedonia. Simultaneously, it has been protecting the border from an inflow of illegal migration and helping its citizens in the areas affected by the flood.

The following should also be mentioned and praised. While the flood was still striking, Army units were already deployed in the most seriously affected areas of Skopje region. For this task, the Army engaged over 2600 of its troops and over 200 vehicles. Without the timely reaction and self – sacrifice of the Army, there would have been more victims and greater losses.

We all know that this is not the first time. In August of last year, areas of Tetovo were affected by floods. Several months prior to that, in February, Pelagonija suffered the same. The Army was everywhere to assist in handling natural disasters and restoring affected areas. At all times and everywhere, the Army stands ready to help their citizens. Because it is their guardian.

Speaking about these merits, I cannot but point to a paradox that has been happening in continuity. Namely, the more challenges multiply, the more the Army becomes engaged - the more, with every year, we see its budget reduce. And with such a reduced budget, it is expected that the Army de facto realizes the tasks of other institutions, including in the case of natural and man-made disasters and handling their consequences.

On this occasion, I wish to repeat what I have been underlining for several years now. It is of utmost importance to pay attention to the Army budget and the living standard of Army members. This because the Army protects the border, but also the sovereignty, security and unitary character of the Republic of Macedonia.

We are still awaiting the effects of the Army modernization process. Therefore, I ask that the Army be given what belongs to it, and what is necessary in order for it to continue being the shield of our independence and sovereignty and the pillar of our stability and security.

Dear participants,

In the case of natural disasters, it has somehow become a habit to mobilize the Army first. It is, of course, an expression of trust in the ability of the Army to successfully complete the task. As Supreme Commander, I can proudly say that the Army has always justified this trust. But, what does this practice say about the readiness of other competent institutions? The repeated mobilization of the Army in the case of natural disasters is not a sustainable solution. The use of the Army in handling natural disasters should be an exception, rather than a rule. However, it seems that we have allowed for the exception to turn into a rule.

Therefore, today, I would like to make an appeal to all competent institutions within the crisis management system and the
protection and rescue system, to act in accordance with their legal competences. We cannot allow that the entire burden in the case of natural disasters be placed on the shoulders of the Army and Police, when at the same time part of their troops have been deployed in order to protect the national border. It is irresponsible to spend Army resources in order to save one's own.

These disastrous floods are a warning and a reality check. This was a warning that it is not enough to only rehabilitate the stricken areas. It is necessary to build a culture of disaster risk resilience.

After this disaster in Skopje, nothing should ever be the same. We must not wait for a disaster to occur, and then act reactively. We must act preventively. We cannot afford ourselves the luxury of passiveness. There is a need for increased institutional cooperation among institutions at the local and central level. There is a need for cohesion between state, science and civil society as regards state interests. We must pay attention to what is built, where and in what manner. It is necessary to finally close the circle of responsibility. It is the only way to build a safer future for our children. And that future is becoming more and more uncertain.

At the same time, apart from natural, we are also feeling the consequences of man-made disasters stemming from regional conflicts and failed states in the Middle East and Northern Africa. According to the information at our disposal, there is a possibility for a second, more massive migration wave. This means that there is still a pending threat for violent reopening of the Balkan Migration Corridor.

The migration crisis, as well as the financial and debt crisis, have shaken the foundations of the two pillars of the European Union – Schengen and Eurozone. The increasing number of terrorist attacks has only deepened the security crisis. Vandalism and violent acts perpetrated by members of extreme movements have polarized European societies. In order words, we are living in a time of a new world disorder.

In such conditions, it is more than necessary for the countries of the region to mutually support each other instead of blocking each other. Even in such complex geopolitical conditions, we are still witnessing the irresponsible blockade to Macedonia's NATO membership.

But we are not discouraged. Not only will we continue our Euro-Atlantic integration, but we will also continue participating in peace-keeping missions. These are missions that have enabled us to demonstrate the operational capacity and interoperability of the Army. We will continue participating in the "Decisive Support" mission, through which we provide our direct contribution to building Afghanistan's security system and creating conditions for a safer future of Afghani citizens. And we shall not stop there. The Army has enough capacity and training to participate in UN - led peace-keeping missions.

Distinguished members of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia,

The Army has justified the trust of our partners many times, but most importantly – it has justified the trust of its citizens. Therefore, I wish many happy returns of this day to everyone. To those who are waving the flag of our homeland a thousand miles from here. To all those protecting the border. To those who are helping citizens in the flooded areas.

I congratulate all members of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia, all newly-appointed officers, soldiers and civilians serving in the Army. But I also congratulate their families for showing support and encouragement.

I congratulate you and I thank you for your professionalism and discipline in the performance of your task of high responsibility, but above all, for your solidarity shown to the citizens and loyalty towards our homeland.

Long live Army day, August 18!
Long live the Army of the Republic of Macedonia!
Long live the Republic of Macedonia!

Distinguished Presidents of the Academies of Sciences and Arts,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Tonight I address you with divided feelings. On one hand, as a President of the Republic of Macedonia, my thoughts are with my citizens from the flooded areas of Skopje. With the families that have lost their loved ones, with the people who have lost their homes. I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives; I wish a fast recovery of the injured, and a renewal of daily life in the affected areas.

On the other hand, it is a duty and honor for me to welcome you in our cultural and spiritual capital – Ohrid; a town that, for centuries, was part of the civilizational corridor known as Via Egnatia, connecting the East and the West. It is exactly here that, more than 11 centuries ago, halfway between the Old and the New Rome, the new Slavic European civilization was born.

We are gathered here tonight to pay our tribute and respect to the person who had a significant role in that historical endeavor; To remind ourselves of the most experienced and enlightened disciple of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, our great people's saint and teacher – St. Clement of Ohrid.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the time when St. Clement arrived to this area, he found illiterate and spiritually immature people. The area was poor and neglected. Ohrid was a mere shadow of the famous ancient Lychnidos. Faced with such educational, spiritual, but also material poverty, Clement "barely even closed his eyes to sleep, feeding and rejoicing on the care he showed to the people. He was always teaching and distributing, correcting ignorance, bringing order into the chaos, becoming all things to all, according to the needs of the people". These are words of great importance – not only because they were written by Ohrid Archbishop Theophylact, who was one of the most educated men in his time and a teacher of emperors, but also because of the very essence of his claim that Clement was to the Slavs what Paul the Apostle was to the first Christians.

Clement was the first original Slavic writer, poet and orator. It was exactly here, in Ohrid, that he wrote his sermons, lessons and hagiographies. Although written in a language that had barely obtained its first alphabet – the Glagolitic, the works of St. Clement are in the same range as the most prominent examples of old Byzantine literature.

Through the Ohrid Literary School, Clement contributed to the educational, spiritual and moral enlightenment of Slavic peoples. The 3500 students of St. Clement later became the teachers of Slavdom. Some of the oldest Slavic manuscripts were written here, on the shores of this white lake, on the slopes of this hill, by the hands of his students.

As a preacher and pedagogue, Clement instilled faith in people and developed the habits of the heart. He encouraged people to refrain from all kinds of malice, anger, defamation and greed, and instead, to compete in kindness, mercy and hospitality. If you are able to feel the traditional Macedonian hospitality these days, you should know that it is part of the legacy of St. Clement.

The solidarity and humanity that Macedonian citizens show towards the victims of the disastrous floods in Skopje these days are part of the legacy of St. Clement. I am encouraged to see this noble tradition re-appear in critical moments, when most needed.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

While reading St. Clement's sermons and lessons, three questions were constantly on my mind.
What would St. Clement say about our generation, our societies and our world in general?
To which extend have we preserved his rich linguistic, educational, spiritual and moral legacy?
And, most importantly, have we succeeded in passing his legacy on to our youth, as he used to do back in his day?

I believe that St. Clement would be stunned by the fact that so many fervent academic and political battles were fought in the past century and half with a view of his acquisition and framing within the concepts from the 19 and 20th century. He would be stunned because he lived in a world and age without national states and national ideologies and identities – in a world of empires.

St. Clement would advise us to read one of his sermons in which he refers to the epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians in which he categorically claims that Faith in God rises above all differences in terms of identity; and that, regardless of our ethnic, linguistic, cultural, political, social or gender affiliation, we are all to observe the golden rule: to treat others the way that we would like to be treated. Especially in times of troubles and needs such as we now have in Macedonia.

St. Clement would remind us of his participation in the mission of Ss. Cyril and Methodius to Moravia; of his inauguration as priest in Rome; that he was a teacher to the Slavic peoples, but that he was equally respected by Byzantine church officials. And, just as his physical relics connect Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy, so his spiritual and educational work connects all Slavic peoples.

Distinguished Academy Presidents,

Your attendance of this solemn occasion is an expression of the awareness that all of us, who are part of the Slavic linguistic community, are equal heirs and descendants of St. Clement. And as such, we have shared rights, but also responsibilities. Namely, to cherish his legacy, sharing it and passing it on to future generations. Apparently, this is something that we have not invested enough effort in doing.

We are living in times of major crises. Europe is facing an unresolved financial and debt crisis, the current migration crisis, and an even more serious, security crisis.

However, all of these crises stem from the deep moral crisis that has affected humanity, including our own societies; Societies that have embraced progress, at the same time uncritically rejecting tradition. We tried to build and develop our modern civilization, reducing ethics to the level of personal choice. We separated freedoms and rights from duties and responsibilities. We are praising St. Clement without observing his words. We call upon him, without even seeing what he is calling us upon. The consequences of these deviations are undoubtedly felt by all of us, and especially our youth.

Distinguished participants,

In less than two years, the first generation born in the second millennium will come of age. They will have the right to vote in their respective countries. They will be able to elect and be elected. They will create future. But, what are the values that they are living with? What defines them?

The Millenials have grown up in an age of consumerism, moral relativism and extreme individualism. In a world full of people that are full of themselves, where success is a goal in itself and should be achieved at any price, and character is reduced to a question of personal choice. In an era of new technologies that allowed progress, but at the same time took away our free time, and with that, the possibility of reflection and contemplation.

Clement would surely praise their defiance to blindly trust authorities. That is the first precondition to critical thought. However, if the slogan of the 1960s was "don't trust anyone over 30", the slogan of this millennial generation would be "don't trust anyone older than you". Would Clement's message to the youth then be not to trust anyone or anything under 300 years? Otherwise put, to only rely on ideas, concepts and models that have stood the test of time.

Amazed by their self-confidence, courage and readiness to be socially active for a multitude of issues, St. Clement of Ohrid would probably advise them to channel the unique potential of their generation in function of achieving lasting values instead of passing virtual illusions.

Dear friends,

If all crises that our societies are currently faced with stem from the moral crisis, then it is necessary to deal with the root causes, and not just the consequences of the spirit of our time. Unless we eliminate the reasons for this illness of humanity, then the treatment of its symptoms would be in vain. And that goes for the recent floods in Skopje. It is not enough to mitigate the disastrous consequences, if we fail to build a sustainable culture of disaster risk resilience.

In this sense, we are about to face a paradox. The best way to move forward is to go back to the essential messages of St. Clement of Ohrid. I believe that one of his messages is hidden in his very name – Clement, or Clementia, meaning mercy; Mercy shown to us as people, and mercy that we, as people, should show to others, to our next of kin, our neighbors, even our enemies. This can only be done if we go back to his call – to help each other...to love our brethren, to love the poor, to show generosity, humility, restraint, and above all, compete in kindness in all of our actions. And in time of troubles and challenges that we face after the disastrous floods, respecting Clement's call is more than necessary.

It is only in that way that we will be able to restore the habits of the heart that are necessary for us to be the dignified heirs of our great teacher, St. Clement of Ohrid.

Thank you.

Distinguished citizens of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished descendants of all the known and unknown heroes who sacrificed their lives for our homeland – Macedonia,

Today, on Ilinden, in the year when we mark a quarter century since our independence, I wish to congratulate you on this greatest Macedonian holiday. This quarter of a century of independence is a continuation of more than seven decades of ASNOM and more than one century since Ilinden 1903, but also of the centuries-long striving and struggle for a free Macedonia.

All of our dreams and hopes for freedom, all of the heroic endeavors and struggle for statehood, independence and sovereignty have been enshrined in this quarter of a century.
But also, this quarter of a century contains all of the challenges and threats, divisions and intolerance that we had been facing since the dawn of the Macedonian struggle for freedom.

Dear fellow citizens,

After a centuries–long slavery, on Ilinden 1903, in the heroic town of Krushevo, our heroes raised the flag of freedom and justice. The Ilinden uprising placed us among the peoples worthy of freedom. However, the uprising was short-lived. The battle was lost, but the fight for freedom did not stop there.

And, immediately after the uprising, the voice of propaganda trying to discourage us spread throughout Macedonia: You are too small. You are too weak. You cannot do it on your own.

The propaganda sowed the seed of divisions and fratricide. The spiral of revenge and revanchism started moving.

The Balkan Wars and the First World War found us divided, in conflict and against one another. We were divided as people.

It was the time when we experienced the most difficult years of our history – years filled with forcible mobilizations and requisitions, repressions and persecutions, assimilations and denationalizations. We were pushed into poverty and misery. We were stripped off almost everything – save for our memory of Ilinden. And that memory we cherished year after year.

In 1903, immediately after the uprising was put down, the Revolutionary Headquarters stated that "we will wave the revolutionary flag that we folded this autumn, in order for it to shine again in a better time. And that time is close."
20 years later, Dimo Hadzi – Dimov reminded us again that after a bloody first Ilinden, Macedonia would see another, second Ilinden.
In 1941, the Province Committee headed by Metodi Shatorov – Sharlo called upon all children of Macedonia to bravely celebrate the day of the Ilinden uprising.
Chento was one of the organizers of the illegal Ilinden protests in the town of Prilep.
Kuzman Josifovski – Pitu on the other hand, stated that "the memory of Ilinden should now, more than ever before, shine before the eyes of the entire Macedonian people, before the faces of all honest, freedom-loving Macedonians and everyone who loves their country, so that they can give their all to achieve a new, final and victorious Ilinden..."

Throughout the years, the memory of Ilinden was kept alive by veteran fighters and young revolutionaries. They kept it alive because they were well aware of the uniting power of the idea for freedom. And also because they knew that, unlike before, we had learned a valuable lesson. When World War II happened, we were ready, and we stood united in battle.

The proclamation to the people of Macedonia, prepared by Kuzman Josifovski – Pitu, states: "In spite of all difficulties, our people has become more united and more decisive in the fight against the fascist occupiers. All preconditions have been created for full unity of our people around the people's liberation front... Our people has never had a more favorable moment than it is the case today in order to realize its' centuries-long ideal – a free Macedonia!"

That centuries-long ideal was achieved with the second Ilinden.

The first session of ASNOM laid the foundations of the first free Macedonian state; a state that guarantees the freedom and equality of all its citizens, regardless of their religious, ethnic or political affiliation. A state that guarantees the right to personal security, property and ownership to each of its citizens. Every citizen is guaranteed the freedom of conscience and speech. A democratic state in which everyone has the right to elect and to be elected.

Between the first and the second Ilinden, between Krushevo 1903 and ASNOM 1941, we, as people, had the time to learn a valuable lesson. The lesson being that every time we are divided, we are enslaved. Every time we are united, we are free.

However, we failed to maintain that freedom in full. As foreign propaganda sowed the seed of division, the seed of doubt started growing inside the tissue of Macedonia. For the second time in our history we clearly heard the voice of propaganda: You are too small. You are too weak. You cannot do it on your own.

Chento, Brashnarov, Chuchkov, Shatev, Polezhinovski, Vlahov and many other known and unknown patriots did not give in to this temptation and refused to listen to that voice. They firmly believed that we can be ourselves and on our own. And this was considered to be their sin.

The ink from the signatures of the state-establishing ASNOM decisions was not even dry yet, when those who truly believed in the statehood of the Macedonian people were put aside. Those who were brave enough to go against the single-mindedness of the Communist party were disgraced. Thus, the spiral of revenge and revanchism began turning yet again.

And so, we had a state, but without independence. We gained our sovereignty only to later transfer it to the federation. We were deprived of the possibility to be masters of our destiny. We became part of a complex community that was prudently maneuvering in an ideologically divided world. We were deprived of many things, but not of our memory of Ilinden.

Half a century later, the Iron Curtain started falling apart. The Berlin Wall fell down. The bloc division was over. The end of the Cold War brought about a spring of identities and unrealized ideals for freedom, independence and autonomy. Ideals for self-realization.

In those key moments, just like half a century before, we, the citizens of this country, remembered the oaths of Ilinden and ASNOM. And for the third time in history, we united in order to be who we are, on our own.

At the beginning, only a few took us seriously. Few were the ones who believed that we would indeed have the courage to declare our independence. And, for the third time in our history, we heard the echo of discouraging propaganda: You are too small. You are too weak. You cannot do it on your own.

But we had the wisdom of two Ilindens on our side – the two chances we had failed to grasp before. And we were not about to allow the same mistake to happen again.

Between the second and the third Ilinden, between ASNOM 1944 and September 8, 1991, we, as people, had the time to learn a second valuable lesson – that when we doubt in ourselves, we lose, but when we believe in ourselves, we win.

We believed and we won. We voted to constitute the Republic of Macedonia as a sovereign and independent, civil and democratic state.

25 years ago, we emerged from the ruins of a former common country in order to become part of the international order of states built after the Second World War. We left the fold of non-aligned states and peoples of the third world in order to find our place in the first, developed and democratic world. But, as we were making our first steps as an independent and sovereign country, we never even imagined that we would enter an order whose foundations are cracked and whose pillars are shaken.

Dear fellow citizens,

As it was the case seven decades ago, the world finds itself again in a period of a major transformation. The great divide between factual and media reality is becoming even greater with each passing day. The centrifugal forces of globalization are destroying the order set up after the Second World War. This is a time of deep crises and bloody conflicts, of failed states and ravaged societies. This is a time of millions of refugees and migrants in pursuit of happiness. This is an era of radical ideologies which metastastize and encompass the young, rejected and dissatisfied individuals from European ghettos.

A new reality is looming on the European horizon. The European Union erased its internal borders without establishing and protecting the external ones. The first migrant wave eroded European institutions, mechanisms and policies. The gap between the common aims of the European Union and the individual interests of Member States is growing. Instead of uniting and enlarging, with the Brexit, the Union slowly started fragmenting and reducing.

In such circumstances, there are many things that do not depend on us. Geopolitical games, economic crises, major migration waves, geoprofit trends, transnational risks and threats of organized crime and terrorism are just a part of the global processes that affect us as well.

However, there are things that depend on us and us only. Every country is sovereign to the extent of its ability to control its territory. We understood that if we do not help ourselves first, then no one else will help us. Therefore, instead of being reactive, we decided to be proactive. There were many who did not expect a small country in terms of territory such as Macedonia to be so resistant and firm in the face of threats from illegal migration. Still, we successfully faced the first migration wave. We demonstrated that we have an Army and Police that are perfectly able to protect our border.

We are coping with the security threats of violent extremism and terrorism. We prevented massacres and bloodsheds similar to those that we see happening around the world. Therefore, I wish to express my gratitude again to our law enforcement and intelligence services for their professionalism and dedication. Our safety and the safety of our children are in their hands.

However, the storm has only just begun. Regional crises and conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa only multiplied the risks to the security of the Republic of Macedonia. There is still a high risk of threats coming from foreign terrorist fighters. A second migration wave is imminent.

The almost daily terrorist attacks in Europe and the world are a new reality. As a country, we must get used to living and functioning in such reality. In such complex conditions, more than ever before, we must be united. But are we?

It is said that the best way to understand the character of a nation is to know its greatest value. To see what that nation strives towards the most. Is it freedom, or justice, honesty, or perhaps wealth? Is it material or spiritual values? Is it the past, the present or the future? In the past 25 years, we showed that as a nation, we mostly wish for the things that we do not have, and therefore fail to cherish what we do have – our state.

In the time when we did not have many friends and allies in the world, we should have been our own best friends and most loyal allies. However, the spirit of revanchism was restless. The old wounds were quick to open, throwing a shade over our independence.

Fellow citizens,

New communication technologies enabled us to be the first generation of Macedonians able to live in what Blazhe Koneski described as our unique complete homeland. And that is the Macedonian language. For the first time in history, we are able to communicate in real time with our people in the world in our Macedonian language. And yet, what words do we use within this homeland of ours? Cynicism is omnipresent. Instead of rising, we humiliate ourselves with words. We have become a politically polarized society, neglecting political culture. We have become hostages of our hatred of the others.

Although we have been independent for 25 years now, we appear dependent on other interests and plans.

The question, therefore, is not how Macedonia succeeded in gaining its independence. Our ancestors fought and won that independence. The real question is: how did Macedonia manage to stay independent in conditions of deep political and ideological divisions. In conditions when we humiliate, degrade, dehumanize our opponents instead of respecting their right to a different opinion and countering it with arguments. A family cannot function without dialogue, respect, compromise and unity. And, just as Macedonia is our common home, in the same way we, regardless of our ethnic, religious and political differences, are a family.

Fellow citizens,

As we united in 1941 in order to fight for our freedom and statehood; as we united in 1991 to declare our independence and sovereignty, today, we should unite in order to preserve our freedom and statehood, independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Macedonia. Today, more than ever before, we need a process of national reconciliation!

What is the way to reconciliation? There is but one. Sacrifice.

Fighters in 1941 were ready to sacrifice their lives for the freedom and statehood of Macedonia.
Macedonian citizens in 1991 were ready to sacrifice their secure, yet dependent life within a federation in order to enjoy freedom and independence within an uncertain international system.
Thus, today, when we mark a quarter century of independence, we must make a sacrifice in order to reconcile, unite and survive in this anarchic world.

But, what should the sacrifice of our generation be?

Fellow citizens,

We have been free and independent for 25 years. We have elections on which citizens are free to elect their representatives in state institutions. We have institutions that adopt and implement laws. But this is not enough. In our case, an old saying stating that the spirit of freedom does not abide in laws and institutions only, is very valid. Freedom, above all, should abide in people's hearts.

No law, institution or policy can maintain the freedom of Macedonia, unless that freedom is first felt in the hearts of Macedonian citizens. For, as long as this freedom lives within us, we shall remain free citizens in a free country.

However, freedom cannot survive without order. Here, I do not refer only to the constitutional and legal order, but to something much deeper and substantial. History has shown that the only order corresponding to freedom is restraint. But restraint is most vulnerable when we have freedom. Why? Because when we are free, we believe that everything is allowed, and that we can do whatever we want. We believe that we have rights without responsibilities.

What exactly is the sacrifice that I call upon? What kind of restraint am I referring to?

After a long time and exhausting negotiations, an agreement has been achieved to overcome the political crisis. With the help of international mediators, the leaders of political parties agreed on organizing early parliamentary elections. I welcome this agreement that the Macedonian citizens saw with a sigh of relief.

However, the difficult part lies ahead. That is, to fulfill what has been agreed and to keep the promise. Now is the time for restraint and responsibility, things that will define not only the end of this crisis, but also the future of Macedonia.

I call upon the political parties to refrain from not recognizing the will of the citizens every time they lose the elections, but also from ignoring their opponents after they win the elections.
I call upon the media to refrain from spreading panic, fear and damaging sensationalism. Journalists must be the guardians of truth and the conscience of society.
Civil society and intellectuals should refrain from cynicism and demonizing those who have a different opinion than their own.

I call upon our European and Euro-Atlantic partners not to use the consequences of blockades as reasons for new blockades. Just as our blocked European and Euro-Atlantic future contributed to blocking political processes in the Republic of Macedonia, in the same way, unblocking the integration processes would restore stability. I invite them to respect international law in the case of Macedonia. It is only by taking our rightful place in NATO and opening accession negotiations with the European Union that Macedonian political elittes will learn the culture of dialogue and compromise.

Distinguished participants in the political processes,

In the same way that we need unity for the future, we need reconciliation for unity. Reconciliation, on the other hand, can only be achieved with a certain sacrifice.

Today, on Ilinden, in the name of our heroes of the past, but also our children, who are the heroes of the future, I urge you to sacrifice personal for the sake of common interests, political party for the sake of state interests. Let us build a culture of dialogue and compromise, but also a feeling of unity when it comes to state interests. I call upon you to lead the dialogue within democratic institutions, and not foreign embassies. Let us seek support from our citizens, and not international factors.

It is only in this way that we will be able to put an end to the spiral of divisions.

It is the only way to show that we have learned the third valuable lesson during this quarter century of independence, since 1991 – when we wish for what we do not have, we will surely lose what we do have; but when we love what we already have, we might get what we do not have.

I call upon you to respect and love the Republic of Macedonia, the only place where we can truly feel free.
Let us safeguard the Republic of Macedonia, the only place where we can truly feel safe.
Let us cherish the Republic of Macedonia, because it is the most secure investment in the future of our children. This can only be done if we are reconciled and united.

Distinguished Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Bosniaks, Roma,
Distinguished Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists,
Distinguished citizens,

This year, like never before, we have reasons to overcome our divisions and enmities. One of those reasons is the anniversary of our independence; an anniversary that reminds us of the past, creating at the same time responsibilities for the future. For the next 25 years.

But, there are other reasons as well.

Macedonia has always gifted the world persons who, with their thought and mission, managed to bridge differences and connect peoples.

One of those persons is our great teacher and saint, St. Clement of Ohrid. This year we mark 11 centuries since his physical passing, but also 11 centuries of his continuous spiritual and cultural participation in the construction of our language, culture and values. For 11 centuries now, he has been calling upon us to help each other...to be dedicated to good deeds; to love our brethren, to love the poor, to be hospitable, humble and restraint..."

A mere seven years after Ilinden 1903, in the center of Skopje, in a micro universe of religious, ethnic and linguistic pluralism, among Christians, Muslims and Jews, a girl was born who followed the legacy of St. Clement. Dedicating her life to the rejected and poor in the world, Mother Theresa from Skopje became recognized as the mother of mercy, or the mother of the 20th century.

Only a few days before our celebration of the 8th of September, the world will celebrate the canonization of Mother Theresa in Rome. The canonization is an event that should inspire all of us in Macedonia to rise above the everyday political tensions and misunderstandings, and help us recognize the human being and humanity in our political opponent. The canonization of Mother Theresa is an act that will unite the world. It is high time for it to unite us as well.

Fellow citizens,

When we are united – we are free. When we believe – we win. When we cherish what we have – we will get what we do not have, but deeply and sincerely wish for.

We should remember these three lessons well, because they have cost us a lot of blood, missed opportunities and lost years. Let us remember them and implement them, in order to leave to our children a country in which they could live freely, in respect and progress - So that they could be able to celebrate and mark this great celebration of freedom, as citizens of Macedonia and the world.

Long live Ilinden!
Long live freedom, independence and sovereignty!
Long live the Republic of Macedonia!