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!