VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski urged the public to hold dear the ideals of Ilinden and the struggle for Macedonian independence.

We still hear the roar of the komiti who fought for a free, independent and autonomous Macedonia 117 years ago, and of the second Ilinden 76 years ago which sealed the yearning for freedom. Our fight for freedom was raised with the Ilinden Uprising and was carried forward by the partisans. They both task us to fight to protect our freedom when it is under assault. We must preserve the ideals from which we are currently badly straying away, Mickoski said.

He pointed to the corruption, high level crime and the failure to reform the country, the poverty and the emigration as the ills that harm Macedonia today.

Mickoski will spend the holiday at the gathering in the village of Tasmarunista near Struga. Party delegates will attend the main celebration in Krusevo, as wellas the gatherings in Skopje and Pelince.