Day of Republic – Ilinden Observed

State officials observed on Monday the national holiday Day of the Republic – Ilinden (2 August) on several different locations throughout the country: PM Zoran Zaev addressed the celebration in Pelince, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi addressed the celebration in Skopje in front of the Parliament, while President Stevo Pendarovski addressed the nation via a pre-recorded video message, instead of speaking at the celebration at Meckin Kamen in Krusevo. In his pre-recorded address, President Stevo Pendarovski extended his greetings to all citizens, accenting that freedom is the highest goal and ideal of one nation. “On 2 August 1903 a revolutionary generation started the fight for freedom, and declared the Krusevo Republic, in time when Europe was majorly ruled by monarchies. This spirit of this fight was revived on the same date in 1944, when the delegates of ASNOM realised the dream of many people for a free Macedonian state. We need to keep the memory for these people alive by doing our best for the prosperity and freedom of our country, because it is our duty to maintain our freedom. Let us build the country so that young people see their future here,” Pendarovski said. In his address at Pelince, PM Zaev called upon all citizens and politicians to overcome their differences and unite in the efforts for making the country they live in better. “Let us stop competing with each other about who is a greater patriot and who loves the country more. The sacrifices the revolutionists made in 1903 and the partisans in 1944 are immeasurable. Let us cherish this holiday, which recognises no race, no ethnicity, no religion, and belongs to all of us, Macedonians, Albanians, Roma People, Serbs, Turks, Aromanians, Bosnians and all other communities that live in North Macedonia today,” PM Zaev said. PS Xhaferi said in his address in Skopje that the Krusevo Manifesto and the documents of ASNOM are proof of the multicultural and multi-ethnic character of the country. “North Macedonia has always been in the focus of geo-political occurrences, but the will of the people for a mutual, free and independent state dominated, which is why we have our country today, and it serves as example for good multi-ethnic and multicultural society of coexistence and harmony,” PS Xhaferi said.