New York, 25 September 2025 (MIA) – UN Secretary General António Guterres has expressed full solidarity and full support regarding the democratic steps we make commending our capability to manage multi-ethnic relations, President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova stated after meeting with Guterres Wednesday evening (local time) in New York as part of her participation in the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

“He said he stands with us and he will be repeating this everywhere he goes. It’s good to hear this and to get the support of the UN chief because he has extensive diplomatic experience, which also included us when the country faced issues, it found itself in his agenda,” stated President Siljanovska-Davkova.  

She said it wasn’t an open meeting, yet Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski and Minister of EU Affairs Orhan Murtezani, who are accompanying her during her New York working visit, were also in attendance.

Siljanovska-Davkova expressed respect for Guterres' role as a voice of reason and justice at a time of major global challenges and tectonic shifts in the international order.

"The UN should strengthen its role, and be the main arena for tackling global challenges - from the war in Ukraine and the conflicts in the Middle East, to the climate crisis and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Therefore, substantial reforms are needed, through strengthening the representativeness and democratization of the General Assembly and the Security Council," the President said at the meeting with the UN Secretary-General.

Stressing the importance of women's leadership, she pointed out that the Second National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security is being actively implemented.

According to her, Guterres' leadership opens up space for implementing the necessary reforms of the world organization, and the excellent partnership with the UN team in the country results in significant support for reforms in the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and good governance - priorities that are crucial for the Macedonian European integration.

Siljanovska-Davkova extended gratitude to the UN Secretary-General for his unwavering support for the Macedonian path to the EU, and for his position on the need to speed up the European integration process.

After her meeting with Guterres, the President attended a reception for the Western Balkan leaders, organized by the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas., where she pinpointed the double standards manifested by the EU, especially when it comes to small countries, MIA reported from New York. 

“I call for putting an end to double standards because it isn’t European and shouldn’t become practice. I believe it is anti-European although it is being used in the European Union all the time,” stated Siljanovska-Davkova.

She said she pointed out the issue to Kallas adding she warned that Moldova and Ukraine might be affected by the same issue, too.

“I also stressed that the EU isn’t only the enlargement; accession of the Western Balkans or reintegration of the Western Balkans in Europe, in the EU at the moment, where it has belonged for centuries geographically, historically and culturally, will be a very important cure against looming security dilemmas. It's their turn to take action," urged Siljanovska-Davkova.

I said, she added, that the European Union in difficult moments had managed to be very creative and perhaps now they are facing huge challenge.

“I also said that the Western Balkans should be perceived as a whole and if there’s difference in the Western Balkan countries’ integration, it can cause further division rather than unity,” noted Siljanovska-Davkova.

After the meeting with Kallas and the Western Balkan leaders, the President attended a reception organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

Photo: MIA/President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova's Office