Skopje, 22 April 2026 (MIA) — Parliament celebrated World Book and Copyright Day earlier Wednesday with an event titled "Read Between the Lines," highlighting how books inspire people and connect different generations.

In his remarks at the event, Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi said books were the foundation for well-thought-out ideas. He said this was especially important for lawmakers and noted that clear ideas lead to sustainable solutions for the public.

"Anyone who reads knows that books don’t end when you put them down," Gashi said. "On the contrary, that is when they begin to influence us." 

He talked about the deep, personal connection between a reader and a book, adding that stories stay with readers long after they have been read. 

"A book communicates with us even when we are not holding it in our hands," Gashi said. "It may sit quietly on a shelf, but it remains with us as a memory, as an opportunity, as a dialogue waiting to go on."

According to the parliament speaker, the experience of holding a physical book — the smell of the paper and the quiet focus it requires — offers a depth that digital screens cannot match.

Gashi said Parliament was working to improve copyright laws to protect intellectual property and support local authors.

"This event is also an expression of our commitment to the promotion of books and the culture of reading," he said. 

He also shared his plans to build a new parliamentary library. He said he wanted it to be a "living space of thought" and "a compass" for making decisions, rather than mere decor.

Addressing the students in the audience, he said that learning should not stop at graduation and urged young people to continue reading to avoid falling behind.

The event included a reading of the national message for World Book and Copyright Day. MPs Arbana Pasholli, Velika Stojkova Serafimovska, Pavle Arsoski, Valbona Adili Emini, Ljupcho Nikolovski and Lidija Petkovska also delivered remarks. mr/