Skopje, 26 July 2023 (MIA) - President Stevo Pendarovski awarded late Wednesday the Order of Merit to Bodan Arsovski, Kokan Dimushevski, Vlatko Stefanovski and Garabet Tavitjan, members of the legendary band "Leb i Sol", saying that "among the plethora of evidence on who Macedonians are, it is enough to quote the entire work and legacy of Leb i Sol, who continue to inspire musicians in researching new territories while respecting their own roots".

"Tonight we welcomed you with bread and salt (leb i sol), a tradition that exists not only among Macedonians but also many other nations - Nordic, Baltic, Jews, Albanians, Balkan people - a tradition that only means you are welcome. But this term has a special meaning in the Macedonian language. It designates a cult, a category, an institution with supra-national significance and infinite character. We are talking about the music, the opus, the life work of Vlatko Stefanovski, Bodan Arsovski, Kokan Dimushevski and Garabet Tavitjan," said President Pendarovski.

The President said they represent a national treasure that has been inscribed in the culture and social DNA of the country, the Macedonian people and all citizens.

"All of us here have come to pay our respects and thank our Skopje quartet for putting the country high on the global map of artistic achievements. Your music has mythic dimensions because it represents a cultural heritage that generations of Macedonians have identified and lived with," said Pendarovski.

He added that ever since their debut album in 1978, "Leb i Sol" were defined as instrumental virtuosos and pioneers of what critics dubbed "world music fusion", a combination of rock, jazz and traditional Macedonian rhythms, creating music that far surpassed the boundaries of time.

"Among the plethora of evidence on who Macedonians are, it is enough to quote the entire work and legacy of Leb i Sol, who continue to inspire musicians in researching new territories while respecting their own roots. Ask any young man entering the world of music if he knows Vlatko's guitar intro in 'Bistra Voda', the fretless bass-lines of Bodan in the same song, Kokan's arrangements in 'Uchi me majko, karaj me' or the 7/8 rhythms of Garo on his drums. Leb i Sol's journey shows the power of their creative expression that has far surpassed national borders. The band has not only enriched the cultural identity of the Macedonian society but provided an essential contribution to the development of music in global terms," concluded Pendarovski.