At yesterday's celebration of the 121st anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising and the Republic of Krushevo and 80 years since the First Session of ASNOM under the motto "The Struggle Continues", the head of state sent messages for unity, cohesion, preservation of national identity, commitment to economic development and the reform agenda. on the way to the European integration of the country in order to make it a decent place to live.

President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova in her address at the demonstration in front of the ASNOM Pelince Memorial Center underlined that on August 2, 1944, exactly 80 years ago, the delegates of ASNOM established the free Macedonian state on republican, democratic and anti-fascist foundations. The Asnomic documents, as he pointed out, pulsate with European progressive ideals and refer to the right to self-determination and equality between peoples. Even today, said President Siljanovska Davkova, our independent Republic is compatible with the project of a united Europe because advanced European values ​​are recognized in our ancient foundations.

Regarding why young people move away, Siljanovska-Davkova pointed out that the standard of living is not the only reason, in terms of wages, but above all is the rule of law, the attitude of institutions towards citizens and interpersonal relations.

- The success of the Republic is measured by whether it is a decent place to live and whether it offers equal chances for progress to everyone. This very right is threatened by corruption and nepotism, which in the past years and decades have created double standards, violated the rule of law and undermined the common good. But also from the long-standing unjust blockades of our European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, which exhausted the state, added the president.

Siljanovska-Davkova pointed out that young people follow the words of the newly elected government and this will influence their decisions about staying or leaving. According to the president, the Macedonian institutions are ready for the European reforms. But as he pointed out, we expect from our European and strategic partners understanding and fair unblocking of the negotiation process. Our place, the president said, was and is in Europe, but with a protected Macedonian identity, language, culture and historical memory.

Siljanovska Davkova then together with her Serbian colleague Aleksandar Vucic, they visited the monastery "St. Prokhor Pchinjski" where the First session of ASNOM was held. The two presidents then held a meeting, and in a statement to the media they jointly assessed that the relations between the two countries are excellent, and that they will continue to develop with mutual respect and work on specific projects.

The central event to mark Ilinden - Republic Day was held in Kruševo na Gumenje and Mechkin Kamen, where he addressed Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. He said that Ilinden is not just a historical story or a historical dream, but above all a historical truth. Ilinden is, he said, our strongest call to action and unity today. In times of global challenges, he stressed, our struggle to preserve national identity and sovereignty is stronger than ever, and Ilinden is a call for all of us – to continue fighting for our rights, for our freedom.

- The fight is not over! The fight continues! We fight with every word we speak, in every action we take, with every dream we have for a better future. This is the struggle of our generation with which we leave a mark through time, firmly believing in its correctness and greatness. The fight continues, the Indonesians and the partisans with weapons in hand for freedom, we with mind, vision and energy for a future that every single person deserves. And we have no option to lose this fight, and only together, in great unity and with great commitment, we will win it, stressed Mickoski.

What is worrisome, he pointed out, is that there are elements and entities in society that continuously make demands that create conflicts and attack unity. But according to him, the essence is not the political demands that can be invented, but the effort to improve the life of the citizens. Therefore, he said that he will not hold talks on topics that create tension and abuse ethnic issues and called on all leaders, subjects to discuss what is really important for all citizens, such as the economy, the rule of law, education, innovation that bring a future. The government, he says, has an economic vision for the development of the country, for new jobs to create a better life and a secure future.

- This is how we will build unity and create a future for everyone. We have an economic vision for a developed Macedonia. A new era of development and new jobs is coming. This is just the beginning of our economic renaissance, and the best is yet to come. Our goal is to create a stable and prosperous economy that will provide all our citizens with a better life and a secure future, stressed Prime Minister Mickoski in his speech at Mechin Kamen and called for unity towards political opponents.

In the context of the country's European integration, he emphasized that great national betrayals have been committed, but, he says, we will deal with these problems with dignity and build principled relations between equal partners, not between masters and subjects.

- And I want to emphasize that no matter how many times I am asked and no matter how many forms the question of Bulgaria is asked, the answer will always be unique... we are for a dignified solution, and we want a solution, but not at the cost of our identity and at a price of trampled dignity. Our commitment to membership in the European Union is also indisputable, just as our engagement in fulfilling the criteria is also indisputable. And we do this not to please someone from the outside, but to help ourselves from the inside. But it is also unavoidable to note that this process takes too long, with too many obstacles, stumbling blocks and demands that are not always reasonable, but much more political. We will conduct a dialogue, but with slight bitterness we will remember that countries that did much less than us, but also without political obstacles in that regard, are now equal members. That integrative process must be a two-way street in which our voice will be heard. And I believe in solutions dictated by reason, not force. Solutions that will create and bring the future, instead of living in the past, Mickoski said.

President of the Assembly Afrim Gashi, on the other hand, he spoke in front of the Parliament building from where he said that Ilinden is the seed of vision, togetherness, courage, a reminder of the common values ​​surrounding unification, which we celebrate and celebrate.

- Our unity is our greatest wealth and it is through this unity that we will achieve greatness. Let's rise above the situation and find factors of unification instead of disunity, underlined Gashi.

According to Gashi, the commitment of the people of Ilinden, modified, continues even today and he clarified that the idea that should unite us today is patriotism and the common goal of a better country.

-Patriotism is a sincere commitment to our country and our citizens. Patriotism is a contribution to the country through honest work, good decisions. Ilinden is not limited, because it belongs to all of us, starting from 1903, through 1944, and to all of us who today invest for European Macedonia. As multi-ethnic, multicultural and multifunctional, our country is a unique tapestry embroidered with all the diversity. Those differences are the foundation on which our country develops and progresses even today. This is in the spirit of the values ​​that were promoted in the Republic of Krushevo, as well as in Asnom independent Macedonia, Gashi said.

The president of the opposition SDSM Venko Filipche in a statement to the media in front of the Parliament, he congratulated the two Ilindens, noting that "the fulfillment of the legacy of the state-makers from Ilinden and ASNOM is our today's fight for Macedonia".

- Our homeland is a country of hard-working people, in the past years we have fought for international recognition and affirmation of our country, we entered NATO, we have shown that citizens with great tenacity live in this country, ready to achieve their own goals, for a democratic, free, fair European country, said the SDSM president.

He added that politics must not be an obstacle to unification around Ilinden and Asnom ideals.

- Politics must not be a source of ups and downs, regression of the state and cause of new internal crises and divisions. This is a time in which the fight is for a better life for young people, the creation of democratic institutions and the rule of law, respect for diversity and the creation of a society in which all citizens will be equal, Filipche added.

The celebration of the 121st year of the Ilinden Uprising and the Krushevo Republic with a series of festivities began the day before yesterday in Krushevo when delegations visited the Memorial House of the Smilev Congress and the monument of Damjan Gruev, and in the afternoon in the center of Krushevo, in front of the "St. Nicholas" church, horsemen from all over the world were welcomed country. At the same time, the manifestation "10 days of Krusevo Republic" was opened with the reading of the Krusevo Manifesto and the raising of the flag of the Krusevo Republic.