Skopje, 5 March 2025 (MIA) - President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova met with Director of the State Archives, Natasha Kotlar-Trajkova, and Head of the Department for Research, International, and Domestic Cooperation, Marjan Gijovski.

According to President’s Office, Director Kotlar-Trajkova informed President Siljanovska-Davkova about the poor conditions under which this important institution operates, as well as the state of the archival materials.

“I need you to understand that the State Archives is not in the right location. Instead of having its own space, the Archives is housed in the same building as two other institutions. Aside from the flood in 2018 that damaged some of the materials, the roof still leaks during heavy rains,” Director Kotlar-Trajkova said.

President Siljanovska-Davkova noted that she shares the Director's view on the Archives's location.

"I agree that it's not a good solution for the State Archives to share a building with other institutions. Moreover, the fact that this is the institution safeguarding our historical and cultural memory is worrying. I believe in the logic of returning the Archives to its former home, a place more suitable for preserving invaluable archival materials," Siljanovska-Davkova said.

The State Archives possesses over 1,300 archival fonds and 27 document collections, nearly 5 million microfilms of archival materials, as well as about one million microfilms and 500,000 photocopies of research materials from foreign archives, spanning data as far back as the 12th century.

The Archives also holds the Gospel of Apostle Luke, written on parchment in Ancient Greek, dating from the 12th century. Additionally, the State Archives preserves other documents from the Ottoman period, valuable constitutional materials, as well as archival collections from the Macedonian diaspora and well-known Macedonian families, offering priceless information about Macedonia's cultural, historical, and social heritage.

Representatives of the State Archives voiced their wish to be included in the Council for the Diaspora, which was welcomed by the President Siljanovska-Davkova.

Additionally, they invited her to join the observance of State Archives Day on April 1, commemorating the institution’s founding in 1951.

Photo: Office of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia