Distinguished citizens of the Republic of Macedonia,
Distinguished participants in the National Liberation Struggle,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Tomorrow, on October 11, the Republic of Macedonia will be celebrating 73 years since the outburst of the national uprising – an uprising for liberation of Macedonia from the fascist occupation. Today, we remember with respect all of the fighters and heroes who took part in the great struggle; fighters who considered themselves as followers of the deeds of the Ilinden fighters for free and independent Macedonia.

This year we mark 111 years since the Ilinden Uprising and 70 years of ASNOM. Celebrating these jubilees, we recollect the moments that have changed the then reality, which is now our past. Past from which we learn how to plan our future.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

For a long time, Macedonia was the unfortunate field upon which foreign propagandas used to sow the seeds of discord and quarrels.
They alienated us from our fellow brothers and compatriots.
Such propaganda made us doubt in our own ability to liberate our country, to survive and progress.

We suffered long because of the uncertainty brought on by slavery and imposed discord.
For a long time we, as people, were an instrument in settling someone else's accounts, we were part of someone else's games for someone else's interests and appetites.
We allowed ourselves to be torn, and to work, as Koco Racin says, "for someone else's white yards".

The consequences of all this are well known.
The Balkan Wars caught us in mutual disagreement.
We were divided at the outbreak of the World War I.
We missed many opportunities for achieving freedom and statehood of Macedonia.

Yet, we have learned the lesson and never allowed history to repeat itself.

Since 1918, the "Geneva Association for Independent Macedonia", headed by Dr. Anastas Kocarev, has been calling "all Macedonians, regardless of religion and nationality, to forget past hatreds and personal disputes and to create a solid core for unity and independence of Macedonia. ..."

We became aware that our strength is in our unity. Macedonian organizations in the homeland and abroad started to consolidate, Macedonian intellectuals to gather, Macedonian students to network and act jointly. All Macedonian associations in Switzerland, after 1918, were united in the "General Council of Macedonian Associations in Geneva". Their appeal to the civilized world of June 1919, says:
"We, the Macedonians, demand this undisputed rule (of self-determination) to be respected when it comes to Macedonia. The Macedonian nation has the necessary and requisite skills for self-government because it is not an amorphous mass or unconscious community ... "

The appeal was positively accepted by the friends of Macedonia.

World War I ended with the Paris Peace Conference which decided, inter alia, on the fate of Macedonia. At the 33rd session of the Committee on New States held on 15 July 1919, the Italian Government raised the issue of Macedonian autonomy; Autonomy in adopting laws on the language, education, religion, local government; Autonomy which implied authority from the people for the people.

At this Conference, unfortunately, we were denied our statehood because the decisions about us were made without us. However, there were friends who supported us. Friends who heard the voice of unity that asked for the noble principles of human rights to be applied in the case of Macedonia, too.

From the bitter defeat in Paris, we emerged with a glimmer of hope that we will be heard because of our unity. Freedom was at hand, but the soul of Macedonians was not completely free. However, the time was slowly but surely approaching.

In the same year of 1919, Gjorce Petrov, in his tribute to Goce Delchev, said:

"Goce was a zealous supporter of the maxim that slavery is due, primarily, to the slave himself and rests more on him than on the enslaver, and that when one ceases to feel slavery in his soul, one will see slavery vanish for real. He hoped to see the whole of Macedonia burning in the fire of rebellion, every valley, every stone, every single oak, every house transformed into a combat ambush. Every slave individually and in groups to enter into combat with every foe he sees in front of him, as a mark of slavery."

In 1941, when the evil of Fascism and Nazism loomed over Europe, Macedonia, for the fourth time in thirty years, was occupied, divided and enslaved.

But, we did not allow history to repeat. People learned from their own mistakes and from the mistakes of the previous generations who missed the opportunities for statehood.

Unlike in the past, when we were torn apart and discordant because of the foreign perceptions of Macedonia, we welcomed World War II united in spirit and unified in purpose. The struggle for human freedoms and rights united all children of Macedonia.

"Macedonians will terminate slavery when they stop being slaves in their souls", said Delchev.
It was the Prilep Partisan Platoon, named after Goce Delchev, that put an end to slavery on October 11, 1941.

On October 11, Macedonian people found encouragement and stood against the foreign oppressor and against the slave within.
On October 11, striving for freedom, Macedonian people started a resolute struggle against the occupiers.
It is a glorious day when Macedonians ceased to feel slavery in their souls. On that day, Macedonia finally broke the shackles of slavery in its mind.
Here lies the greatness of this day, whereby we learn how to win freedom with faith in ourselves.
Regardless of when the first combat actions started, October 11 remained a symbol of the fall of the enslaved mind and a symbol of the rise to freedom. This is the essence of October 11.

What followed were tough fights, heroism and self-sacrifice of the fighters of the national liberation and anti-fascist struggle; A struggle that revived the revolutionary traditions of Ilinden; A struggle in which we were reborn as a nation and felt capable of taking the fate in our own hands.

The nation-wide armed uprising, as part of the great anti-fascist coalition, led to ASNOM, when people became the creator of their own future.

Dear fellow citizens,

The participants in the first session of ASNOM are the founding fathers of Macedonian statehood.

Today, I have decorated the last surviving participant of ASNOM and one of the founding fathers of Macedonia, the veteran Petar Ivanovski - Tikvar. He is the last of the 60 fighters who, 70 years ago, created what we have today.

The national uprising was possible, primarily because of the unity of the courage of the fighters in the national liberation and anti-fascist struggle.

ASNOM was feasible, primarily because of the unity of the state-building spirit of the founding fathers of Macedonia and of the fulfillment of the covenant of the Ilinden fighters. A covenant uttered by Dimo Hadzi Dimov, that Macedonia, which had its first Ilinden, will have its second Ilinden.

Because of that unity, today we have our own state, in which we stand on our own, in which we make decisions on our own about our present and our future.
Because of this unity, today our children freely and fearlessly use the Macedonian language to speak, write and create.
Because of that unity, today we enjoy all guaranteed fundamental civil rights and liberties.

But, although promised, those rights were not fully given. Many of those who remained loyal to the liberal spirit of the national liberation struggle and state-building spirit of ASNOM, were later suppressed, oppressed and forgotten. Among them were Andonov-Cento, Brasnarov and Shatev, Polezhinovski and Chuchkov, Shatorov-Sharlo, Piruze-Majski, Fotev, Agoli, Sokolov and many other known and unknown patriots.

The overall freedom was suppressed until September 8, 1991, a day accepted by the people as our third Ilinden.

Dear compatriots,

The years of independence are years of self-acknowledgement and self-reflection. We have to face ourselves, and all the success and all the challenges and weaknesses.

We have our own state with its own army that guarantees our safety and security of our children.
We have a rapidly growing economy and a favorable business climate for foreign investment.
We are recognized worldwide for our Macedonian model of coexistence and respect for diversity.
We lead peaceful policy and want the best possible relations with all our neighbors.
We have many friends and partners who support our European and Euro-Atlantic path.
We have a clear goal of where we naturally belong and where we see our future.

But, we must be aware that all the turbulences of the past have not remained only in the past. We have inherited challenges that we are still faced with, and visions and aspirations that are not yet attained.

Since the independence, we faced many difficult times and decisions. Double standards and unfair blockades. Nonetheless, we are not discouraged.

Every day we feel the consequences of those who deny the Macedonian language and identity. But, we know who we are, what we are and what we want. We have no problem, but those who do not accept and recognize the reality.

We are still blocked on our European and Euro-Atlantic path. No matter what, we do not give up. We remain consistent with the commitments and objectives that we will continue to implement with continued reforms for the sake of the Macedonian citizens. But, this is responsibility not only of the state, but of all segments of the Macedonian society. Only united will we achieve our strategic goals for the European and Euro-Atlantic Macedonia.

Esteemed excellencies,

We have had and we will have challenges. But we must not be discouraged, because the worst is already behind us. The hardest path was started by our brave fighters and heroes, when, on October 11, they found strength and ventured into a struggle and put an ended of the slavery consciousness and won freedom.
The hardest path was paved by the ASNOM participants who laid the foundations of our Macedonian state.

These bright holidays remind us that when it comes to national interests and strategic goals, we must be united and unified, as were united and unified the fighter and participants of ASNOM.

Among them, there were old Ilinden fighters and young fighters. They all came from different parts of Macedonia. They had different ethnic backgrounds. They belonged to different social strata and had different ideological beliefs. But, despite all the differences, one thing united them, and it was the desire for freedom of Macedonia.

And, today, we have many different ideas, views and political parties. This is the wealth of the democracy. But, we have only one country - the Republic of Macedonia.

No one will protect Macedonia if we do not protect it.
No one will build Macedonia if we do not build it.
No one will respect Macedonia if we do not respect it.

Therefore, we may not allow being sway with every wind of lies, delusions and cunning. We must be aware of the truth. To reject the false perceptions of Macedonia created for others' needs and foreign interests.

Although we are different, we, however, have to be united in the country. The state represents all of us - both the government and the opposition, young and old, workers and pensioners, students and professors. The state represents all of us, Macedonians, Albanians, Vlachs Turks, Serbs, Roma, and Bosniaks, Christians, Muslims, Jews and atheists. We are the country that we inherited from our ancestors and are obliged to leave it safe to our children.

Dear friends,

Even today, unfortunately, we can see what peoples without their own state are faced with. In their sad present, we recognize our painful past. And yet we are grateful that we have a state. We are grateful to all those who gave their lives so that we stand today on our own and have our state. Our own state - the Republic of Macedonia.

Each era brings its own opportunities and challenges; both happy and sad moments. But successful are those who are aware of reality and adapt to the changes in the world in which we live.

Therefore, we need successful individuals in every field. In education and science, in economy and entrepreneurship, in innovation and technology, in culture and sports. In every sphere of our life.

We need successful young people with self-confidence who will lead new successful battles and conquer new opportunities, new markets, new awards for Macedonia. As President, I will always support the ideas and deeds in favor of the Republic of Macedonia. Which are for our own good, for the good of all Macedonian citizens!

From now on, it is much easier because we are on our own. Grateful to our Ilinden fighters and veterans, we bravely and dignified face the challenges. Thus, our generation creates conditions for the future generations to continue to implement the unfulfilled aspirations.

Long live the Day of National Uprising against Fascism!
Long live the freedom!
Long live the Republic of Macedonia!