Kumanovo, 2 August 2023 (MIA) - Addressing a ceremony at the ASNOM Memorial Center in Pelince on August 2, President Stevo Pendarovski called for overcoming differences and uniting around immediate start of the negotiations, noting that otherwise the country will lose the young people who are emigrating. Pendarovski stressed the need for European reforms, which will help to achieve the vital national interest, motivate young people to stay in the country. 

The President told the gathering it was young people who were the real drivers of the two Ilinden days, key to the transformations in the country, noting that today they are an endangered minority.

"At the current rate of emigration, there is a real threat that we may very soon reach the critical demographic point of no return. If this dangerous trend is not stopped immediately, and slowed down with committed policies and a concrete, practically implemented strategy for young people, we will face a much worse future than the one we are currently anticipating," said Pendarovski.

Speaking about reasons for the emigration, Pendarovski said young people leave for foreign countries, because they feel foreign at home. Since the country's independence, he added, young people are passive recipients of policies, their energy is used for narrow party goals, and they do not believe that they can make progress with hard work, but with party membership, family ties, ethnicity instead of knowledge and quality.

"This opens a wide door for corruption, and every corrupt transaction of money and power establishes double standards, nullifies equality before the law, destroys trust in institutions and finally, devalues ​​the state. As the biggest generator of injustice and inequality, corruption is one of the main reasons for the mass emigration of young people. Emigration is nothing but a final protest of the young generations," Pendarovski said. 

He added that since ASNOM, and until today, it can be confirmed that it is difficult to reach a free state, and even more difficult to build and maintain a free and just society, which is the responsibility of all generations.

Therefore, he stressed, European reforms are needed, the fastest and most reliable way for essential reforms without bureaucratic improvisations and party and business machinations, is the negotiations for membership in the European Union. According to him, integration will transform every social sphere, enable building a functional rule of law with an independent and efficient judicial system as a prerequisite for economic growth and sustainable development.

"Negotiations will help us make corruption less socially acceptable, and replace the culture of impunity with a culture of responsibility and personal, moral integrity. In addition, it should be clear to us that there is no good alternative for European reforms! External obstacles must not be an alibi for slowing down reforms. On the contrary, we must mobilize every segment of society in rooting out corruption, nepotism and crime. More importantly, it is the European reforms that will help us achieve our vital national interest, which is to motivate young people to stay in this country and get involved in building a European Macedonia," said the President. 

He urged for overcoming differences, for everyone to unite around starting negotiations, so as not to lose the young people, without whose energy it is not possible to resolve any issues.

"Delchev was rightly against a hasty uprising that would lead to great bloodshed. He did not advocate only for the freedom of the Macedonian country, but for the freedom of the Macedonian people, because he did not want a country without people. If the young generation of Ilinden was almost decimated due to a premature uprising, today, due to delayed European reforms, there is a threat that our young generation will be displaced," Pendarovski said. 

Speaking about the young insurgents, the Ilinden and ASNOM fighters, he said historical sources testify that young people are the ones who created the state, fought for it, led revolutions, demonstrations, adding that today we have a state because of the struggle of young anti-fascists.

Commeting on the history, he noted that the ASNOM delegates also honored Delchev and dedicated a whole chapter to the young people. 

"Therefore, today, on the day of Ilinden, remembering the three Macedonian republics - the Krushevo Republic in 1903, the ASNOM Republic in 1944 and the independent one in 1991, we should be aware that it is only up to us whether the fourth Macedonian republic will be a European or an emigrant one. May celebrate it for many years to come, happy Ilinden to all Macedonians and Macedonian citizens!" the President said. 

Pendarovski is set to lay flowers at the ASNOM Memorial Plaque in the monastery “St. Prohor Pchinski”, where he will be welcomed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The two will hold a bilateral meeting followed by media statements.  

Photo: MIA