Baily: Citizens of Macedonia should seize this opportunity
US Ambassador Jess Baily called on citizens of Macedonia to seize the unique opportunity and exercise their voting right in the upcoming (name) referendum. By supporting the (name) agreement Macedonia will ensure a place on NATO table, he told a scientific debate ‘Prespa Agreement: International Significance and Implications on Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic Integration’, held at the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MANU) on Tuesday.
Referring to the Prespa Agreement, he said no perfect deal could be reached after 27 years of negotiations, but nonetheless the document ‘recognizes the Macedonian identity, language.’
Ambassador Baily also notified the benefits of NATO membership status for Macedonia’s security, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
It’s important for citizens to come out and voice their opinion for their country to move forward.
‘This is a special moment in Macedonia’s history and this opportunity should be seized. After the launch of NATO accession talks it is also very important for citizens to be included in the implementation of the name deal and reforms,’ Baily said.
French Ambassador Christian Thimonier also commended the name deal, which finally established friendly relations between Skopje and Athens, preserved the Macedonian identity and opens the country’s road to the EU, NATO membership.
German Ambassador Thomas Gerberich cited the political analyst, Edward Joseph, who said that ‘Prespa Agreement deserves a Nobel Prize as it sets a new model for settlement of international disputes related to identity issues.’
Gerberich reaffirmed his country’s support for implementing the name deal for the benefit of the country, its citizens and the entire Balkan region.