It is our duty to take care of our republic, that all its citizens equally feel it as their homeland. The historical truth cannot be changed with an agreement, nor with a protocol, because the facts expose every imposed construction, and the concept of a united Europe gives us the best chance to complete the development of Macedonia as a modern European republic.

These are some of the messages that President Stevo Pendarovski sent from the central event in Skopje, as part of the celebration of Ilinden, where he also posthumously awarded orders to several notable figures who were part of the anti-fascist struggle.

With these orders, today we are making a symbolic attempt to correct several historical injustices, he said.

Pendarovski emphasized that on St. Elijah we celebrate our biggest national holiday, because, as he said, on this day, the Macedonian people and their compatriots established their two republics – Krusevo Republic in 1903 and Asnom in 1944.

Looking for a way out of the authoritarian monarchies and autocratic regimes that systematically disenfranchised, assimilated and exploited, the Macedonian people found salvation in the republic as the most just and progressive state order. An order that should have allowed people to have a free, functional political community united around the common good and the public interest. The Krusevo manifesto gives us the contours of the Republic for which the Ilinden people fought – a Republic based on the ideals of justice, freedom and a dignified life in which there will be a place for every man and woman, regardless of nationality, language and religion, Pendarovski stated, adding that the vision for the Republic was upgraded during the National Liberation and Anti-Fascist War in which the partisans united all progressive forces in a broad national front.

In his address Pendarovski said that within the framework of our commitment to the full integration of Macedonia into the European Union, we have a firm intention, as he said, to fulfill all the conditions of the European negotiation chapters, but we have no intention of discussing revival of imperialist concepts and ideas of past centuries instead of European values with anyone. 

The concept of a united Europe gives us the best chance to complete the development of Macedonia as a modern European republic. These efforts are the sacrifice of our generation for our youth and their future. But in order for all this not to be in vain, a huge unfinished job awaits us at home where we have to continue to build the state as just and progressive in which Macedonian citizens will have a decent life, good education, quality healthcare and an efficient legal system that will suppress crime and corruption, said Pendarovski.