Skopje, 2 August 2023 (MIA) — Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj offered his best wishes for prosperity and a better life to the nation on the Day of the Republic.

"We are celebrating one of the most important holidays for the Macedonian people, honoring Macedonian identity, the Macedonian statehood, and our homeland's multicultural togetherness," Deputy PM Marichikj said.

"120 years after Krushevo's Ilinden and 79 years after the ASNOM Ilinden, we have the skills and knowledge to bring our Macedonian state into the Union that respects identity features, differences and the contemporary values of life," he added.

The Ilinden ideals, Marichikj said, still affirm the nation's statehood, resolve, and unity in the face of new challenges.

"The path chosen by the Ilinden revolutionaries is a pursuit for the future, leading them to victory and success. Now it's our turn to stay true to the values of the two Ilindens and live the European future proud and recognized," he said.

"In the Ilinden spirit, I offer my wishes that our nation become part of the European Union, prosper in the fields of culture, economy, education, social policy, and lead a better life together. Happy Ilinden to all Macedonian citizens," Marichikj said. mr/