President Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova marked Ilinden in Pelince and in the Prohor Pcinski monastery, across the border in Serbia, where she was welcomed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

The historic monastery where delegates declared the creation of the Macedonian state in 1944 was long closed by Serbian nationalists for the celebration, but in past years Serbia has changed its restrictive policy. Siljanovska and Vucic discussed prospects for future cooperation, including by building a fast railway line to Solun.

– Today we feel the cooperation you can see between countries like Denmark, Finland, Sweden, toward Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. We have excellent, warm relations as good neighbors in every sense of the word. This is my first visit to Serbia as President, but I know it won’t be the last, said Siljanovska, while encouraging Serbia to celebrate its own holidays on the territory of Macedonia.

President Vucic expressed happiness that he can welcome President Siljanovska, and wished her successful work in the coming years. He congratulated Macedonians on the Ilinden holiday and promised increased future cooperation, aiming at the goal of two billion EUR in mutual trade exchange.