Skopje, 5 May 2025 (MIA) – In times of rapid change, nurturing the Macedonian language is an act of modern patriotism. This care must not be mere rhetoric, it must be rooted in institutions, driven by responsibility, and built to last. Let us cherish our language with love, uphold its knowledge, and protect it with care. Use the language with correctness and respect it, said Minister of Culture and Tourism Zoran Ljutkov during the 80th anniversary celebration of the codification of the Macedonian standard language, held at the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

"Torn between prohibitions and denials, between foreign alphabets and silenced identities, it remained quietly present, but always alive. Like a thorny path filled with challenges, the Macedonian language too endured hardship, but it never surrendered. Even when it was banned, humiliated, or attempts were made to silence it, it carried within itself the strength of perseverance and renewal," Ljutkov noted.

In May 1945, as he noted, the Macedonian language was officially recognized and codified, and we are obligated not only to speak it, but also to preserve and nurture it.

Ljutkov noted that through the efforts of the Government and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, an Inspectorate for the Use of the Macedonian Language has been established.

“This is not an institution created to control, but to promote respect - to guide, educate, advise and remind society that our language is a shared treasure and a top national priority,” Ljutkov said.

Photo: MIA