Skopje, 8 September 2022 (MIA) - I call for unity and in the freedom of decision-making. We know that we must continue on the European path, for our own sake, and for this purpose it is worth uniting, just like for independence in 1991, just like in the battles of 1903 and 1944. State decisions imply leadership and courage for free decision-making, especially when those decisions are a stake in a better present and a better future for current and future generations, said PM Dimitar Kovachevski Thursday evening at central event under the theme of “United in Freedom” organized to celebrate September 8 – Independence Day, held at the Ibni Pajko park. “Our assessment is that the completion of the EU negotiations by 2030 is a realistic, achievable and necessary goal, especially in the global developments,” Prime Minister Kovachevski stressed. He added that we are about to start the screening meetings with the EU. Already, as he noted, "we have made a decision to establish a structure for the accession negotiations of the Republic of North Macedonia to the EU, which implies the full incorporation of European laws into our system." “Thank you for being here tonight, together to wrap up the celebration of the Independence Day of the Republic of North Macedonia, with a firm commitment that united in freedom we continue the perspectives. The perspectives of the Republic of North Macedonia, when, in the historic referendum on September 8, 1991, the citizens, in the vast majority, united, regardless of ethnic, political or other differences, decided to live in an independent and independent state. And, a little later, they set the roadmaps for the development - membership in NATO and the European Union,” Kovachevski said. “The vote for a sovereign and independent Macedonian state is a vote for Macedonia, a common home of the Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Serbs, Roma and representatives of other peoples living in it - a common home built on centuries of experience of national and religious tolerance and respect - but also for achieving the highest quality standards in international relations,” Kovachevski added. The events afterwards show the correctness of the decision to continue walking in the footsteps of the people of Ilinden and the people of ASNOM, who "united in the struggle" laid the foundations of freedom and statehood, he said. “Citizens in the 90s showed awareness that unity in the past brought freedom. But they also knew that they must not go back from what they have already achieved - in the name of the future. And that's why they turned their eyes forward - towards the realization of the new progressive goal before them - independence, with the determination to preserve the already won freedom unitedly,” Kovachevski noted. During the peaceful transition of the then Socialist Republic of Macedonia into the then independent Republic of Macedonia, the unitary character of our country was preserved in a peaceful way, something that, unfortunately, in other countries in the region was not the case, he added. The experiences, Kovachevski added, show that "we had to unite for the independence of Macedonia in 1991; we had to unite when we decided to let reason prevail and prevent the conflict from escalating in 2001; we had to unite when we restored democracy in 2017; we had to unite when we made difficult statesmanship decisions, with which we developed the Republic of North Macedonia, from an internationally isolated state, into a respected and reliable partner, a member of NATO, in 2020 - and today, we must be united in order to realize our second strategic goal – EU membership, Kovachevski said. “Along the way, from independence to today, our sacred duty was to preserve the Macedonian identity and develop the functional multi-ethnicity, for which we are recognized in the world today. We have preserved, confirmed and strengthened Macedonian identity. Macedonians and the Macedonian language are inscribed in the United Nations ID card. The first documents in Brussels are already being translated into Macedonian. The European Union accepted us as Macedonians, who speak the Macedonian language,” he said. Kovachevski said that we are respected and recognized as a country rich in diversity, where Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Serbs, Roma, Bosniaks, and all others who live in the Republic of North Macedonia have the same rights and duties and share the same democratic values, and that is our strength and our value.