The former President of Macedonia, Gjorge Ivanov, congratulated Wednesday the citizens the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence.

The Republic of Macedonia cannot be built on other foundations than those set by the independence referendum of September 8, 1991. Being Macedonian is not just a right. It is also an obligation. An obligation to preserve the heritage that our ancestors fought for through defiance and unyieldingness. To keep the continuity of our commitment, because as Macedonians we cannot be anything different from our ancestors. Let us not take away from our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren what our fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers left us. We need to know who we are in order to know what we want to be. We need to know where we are to know where we want to be. We need to know what we have to know what we want to achieve, said Ivanov.