Ohrid, 24 May 2025 (MIA) - Saints Cyril and Methodius, noble brothers in heart and mind, left us the greatest gift – the script, the word, the voice of our identity. Today we celebrate their work, the work of our first teachers, beacons of Slavic literacy and the foundation of our spiritual and cultural identity, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said during addressing the formal academy marking the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Day, held at the Church of St. Sophia in Ohrid.

As he emphasized, the value they left us has remained, for over a millennium, our guiding light through every storm, challenge, and uphill struggle in life. Mickoski also noted that this fight for the right to our own voice, our own spirituality, lies at the heart of Macedonia’s centuries-long struggle for independence, identity, and national dignity.

Mickoski dismissed what he called shallow debates over who the Holy Brothers are and who they belong to, saying such arguments miss the bigger point, whether we live by their messages and teachings.

“I won’t take part in that kind of rhetoric,” he said. “We shouldn’t undermine ourselves. We know exactly who we are and where we come from.”
PM Mickoski also referred to the role of the Macedonian Orthodox Church as one of the strongest pillars of our people, referring to it as mother of our spiritual growth through centuries, our sanctuary and the most powerful proof of our existence.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for unity, stating, “We are not too many to be divided, nor too strong to afford disunity.”

“I want to reflect on two matters that are fundamentally important to our existence. The first are the external attacks, blockades, and denials that, for more than 30 years, we have faced as a state. These are aimed at undermining the very foundations of our existence, our flag, our people, our anthem, our language, our culture. We must be aware that our presence in this region does not bring joy to everyone,” he said.

He stated that, both as a person and as Prime Minister, he feels at peace, saying, “I know who I am, I know who we are and what we are.”

“These denials should not disturb us,” he continued, “because in the global world of bigger and smaller, stronger and weaker, such processes of proving oneself are natural. Smaller nations must act wisely and steadily. As for the denials, those who make them, and everyone else, will find their answer in the original manuscripts on display just meters away from this very speech.

“There you’ll find the original writings of one of our nation’s many greats Gjorgija Pulevski, one of the first to speak of the existence of a Macedonian nation and language two centuries ago. Next to them are the original works of Krste Petkov Misirkov, who famously said that every nation has the right to develop its own literary language and that this right belongs to the Macedonians as well. Today we must decide: do we want to remain a people with our own identity, or will we vanish among other nations?” he said.

Regarding the issue of internal tensions and, as he put it, "domestic obstacles" in the face of external pressures, Mickoski emphasized the need for unity in positions among all.

“I must say that the fate and opportunity of small nations lie in wisely positioning themselves within the interests of the major players on the political stage. That is the only way we can survive. And this should be well remembered by those in the opposition when they attack the strategic partnership agreement with the United Kingdom, claiming that the national debt would increase due to investments, or spreading falsehoods about bringing in migrants, just to score some political points. Quite simply, such rhetoric, both historically and otherwise, is unworthy and harmful to the state,” he said.

“Just imagine where we might be now, had we formed strong pacts with our Western allies 30 years ago, avoided internal divisions, and focused on building partnerships that served all citizens,” he added.

He underscored that diversity is not a weakness but a strength, and that a country is strong when its citizens stand side by side, not out of fear, but out of shared hope; not because they must, but because they believe in a common future.

“Our history is a testament to what we can achieve when we are united. In the hardest of times, when we were oppressed, divided, even stripped of our right to speak with our own voice, we have always risen through solidarity. Today, unity is not only needed on the barricades or in defense - it is needed in everyday life. In how we communicate, how we solve problems, and how we build our country. Let us be a nation unafraid of difference, one that embraces it. A people who understand that only by walking together can we move forward,” said Prime Minister Mickoski, noting that there is no greater patriotism than uniting for the good of all for our homeland.

The Head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric, HH Stefan, and the Rector of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Biljana Angelova also addressed the event.

Photo: MIA