Paris, 27 February 2009
Speech of the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski at the Conference of the Presidents of the European Union Parliaments
Distinguished Chairperson, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is an extreme privilege but also a great responsibility to take the floor here today in the homeland of Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet, the founding fathers of a united Europe. Today’s European Union is, in fact, the response to one of the most terrifying conflicts our continent and our whole civilization has ever known.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the Republic of Macedonia, although the crisis has but lightly hit the banking and financial sector, it has had significant repercussions on daily life and the Parliament has actively participated in the search for solutions.
At the beginning of this century, the Republic of Macedonia was faced with one of the greatest crises of our recent past; a conflict based on ethnic questions which we have managed to go beyond, thanks to the framework agreement, worked out with the help of the international community but also with the determination of the people of the Republic of Macedonia, which sought tolerant cohabitation between people with differences. Indeed it is precisely with the signing of this agreement that the role and the responsibility of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia begins, in the constitutional implementation and the practical application of said agreement. Believe me, this process was not simple and it is indeed on-going, but today, the framework agreement is an operational model for a multiethnic, multi-cultural, multi-confessional and above all else, democratic state for the Republic of Macedonia. The principles of this agreement are now part of our daily lives. They also represent the proof of our determination for the future generations. I am also persuaded that this agreement is an operational model which could inspire other states in the field of cohabitation and inter-ethnic democracy.
Through its values, laws and provisions, the European Union, to which NATO
must be added, is the second decisive factor for strengthening homogeneity within
Macedonian society. We are aware of the duties we must fulfill as regards our membership.From this point of view, the role of the Macedonian Parliament has been confirmed on a daily basis and in a transparent way, before our national public opinion but also before the international community. We are even more aware of our responsibility as our region is still fragile. It is for this reason that our Parliament grants particular attention to regional cooperation.
A united Europe cannot be built in one fell swoop. It will be constructed by means of concrete achievements and above all, through the creation of solidarity supported by action: this was already the thought expressed by the great Robert Schuman in 1950. The citizens of Macedonia now hope for the ending of the visa system as they have already made much progress in this area. Please allow me, in this regard, to conclude with a quotation from another great European and great friend, the European commissioner, Olli Rehn: “Restrictive borders limit our minds, chain our action and reduce our influence: expansive borders free our minds, stimulate our action and strengthen our influence”. Through what they have already accomplished, the Republic of Macedonia and the citizens of Macedonia deserve that today.