Davos, 17 January 2023 (MIA) – I have no concerns that the transatlantic and paneuropean unity and solidarity will not hold this year, it will hold, but I’m a bit concerned whether that will hold when the war in Ukraine is over, which is crucial for democracy to prevail over autocracy, President Stevo Pendarovski told Tuesday’s panel discussion “In Defence of Europe”, held as part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.  

“Everybody would like that war to stop today, but the logic of the states and the logic of the national interests of the states has always been for centuries to take a look of your backyard. If we are going again towards giving priority to the national interests of the states, then this unity and solidarity will be gone,” said Pendarovski.  

According to him, that is why it is necessary after the war in Ukraine is over, it is critical even, to hold this unity and solidarity – the transatlantic bond, because it can be seen throughout the world that authoritarian tendencies are on the rise. 

“If democracies are not sticking together, respecting the same values and fighting for them, sometimes literally fighting for them, then the autocracy will prevail. We’ve said last year when this war in Ukraine started, and before that in Belarus, that this is in essence dilemma and battle between democracies and autocracies, and outright dictatorship on the part of the Russian Federation today. So, we have to be in full unity and in full solidarity after the war in Ukraine is over. That is necessary for a better world,” Pendarovski said.  

The panel “In Defence of Europe” also includes Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno, and Leader of the Democratic Forces of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.  

Pendarovski will also take part at a session on the Western Balkans and hold bilateral meetings with forum participants. 

This year’s WEF is themed “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”, bringing together leaders in politics, business and civil society, who will debate global developments and priorities in the coming year.